Knoxville Marathon 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

It’s hard to know at the end of this week whether I should continue recounting last weekend or move the focus to the upcoming weekend. I’ll go with last weekend, but I must mention that this weekend is likely the biggest of the Dogwood Arts Festival, with the Arts and Crafts Festival on Market Square and throughout Krutch Park. The artisan works are phenomenal and the food tent, in which chefs prepare dishes with wine pairings, is one of my favorite single events of the year.

Mayor Rogero, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Mayor Rogero, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

American Flag on Clinch Avenue, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

American Flag on Clinch Avenue, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Still, I must give a nod to last weekend’s Knoxville Marathon which drew several thousand people. The race has grown to include a 5K, Half-Marathon, Marathon and Marathon Relay. Urban Son-in-Law backed off to the half-marathon this year and many Urban Friends ran various other races. I think one reason for the massive crowds last weekend was the marathon, as a number of people came in from out of town or simply stayed downtown to enjoy the other events going on.

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists2, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists3, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

I love the fact that a fitness-based event has become so big in the city. It also works beautifully to have so many great activities downtown to greet any out-of-town visitors. There is no way someone visited the city last weekend, encountered the beautiful weather, pianos on the square, Chalk Walk, First Friday, Rhythm and Blooms and came away with anything other than a very positive impression of what is happening here. They also spent time and money in the Health and Fitness Expo on Saturday.

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Runner, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Runner, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

The starting line and staging area always attract me. Nerves jangle about at every turn, runners giddy with excitement warm up maybe a bit too much. Proud families wish their loved ones well. The mayor spoke at this year’s opening and the national anthem makes any sporting fan’s blood reach a quick boil of anticipation. Some are there to win, others to have fun and others simply to finish. Music pounds from a PA system as it will throughout the race as live bands play for the runners.

Entertainment on Market Square, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Entertainment on Market Square, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

John D. Cable and the Empty Bottle Band, Clinch and Locust, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

John D. Cable and the Empty Bottle Band, Clinch and Locust, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

I photographed eventual winner Wojciech Kopec (2:22:15) as he left the start line (red jersey above, number 2), but missed him at the twenty-five mile mark. I did catch Edward Tabut passing the UT Conference Center, heading into the final stretch. He was about three minutes behind first place. He also nearly left the course by not turning onto Locust, but a policeman yelled, pointed and Edward corrected his course.

Second Place Runner (No. 4), Mile Tweny-five, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Second Place Runner (No. 4), Edward Tabut, Mile Tweny-five, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Third Place Runner, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Third Place Runner, Bryan Morseman, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Fourth Place Runner, Mile Twenty-Three, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Fourth Place Runner, Stewart Ellington, Mile Twenty-Three, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Fifth Place Runner, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Fifth Place Runner, Abraham Kogo, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

About four minutes behind him was Bryan Moresman in third and I really felt for the next two guys as I photographed them leaving Market Square. They ran within steps of each other around the twenty-four mile mark and clearly, they would battle to the finish line. In the end, while Stewart Ellington (No. 6) lead by a few yards at that point, Abraham Kogo (No. 3) would pass him in the end to win fourth place. Two seconds separated them at the finish line. You can find complete results here.

Half-Marathon Medal, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Half-Marathon Medal, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Others would pass through downtown on into the afternoon. In fact, Urban Son-in-Law spotted a couple going through around 4:00, well after the official times have stopped. It reminds me of Cake’s awesome song, “The Distance.” All that matters at that point is finishing. And whether anyone else knows or acknowledges the fact, you know. It has to feel good. I never made it to the complete marathon and I admire those who do.

First Friday, October 7 – Downtown Hometour – And More

It’s hard to believe another First Friday has rolled around. It seems like the last one was just here – except that the last one featured very hot weather and this one promises to be very nice, indeed. Come early and plan to stay late.
I’ll hit some of the highlights of the weekend to come and I’ll look for you when I’m out and about.

Friday

2 Many Pixels – An exhibition of Heather McClintock’s photographs entitled “The Innocent: Casualties of the Civil War in Northern Uganda” will be featured at the West Jackson Workshops inside 2 Many Pixels photo gallery. Her photographs illustrate the dire circumstances inside Uganda. She will also be signing her new book and all proceeds go to charities inside Uganda.

The Art Market Gallery at 422 S. Gay will feature the found-object sculpture of Morgan Fitch and the photography of Bob Conliffe. Morgan is a neighbor of mine and his sculptures are always fascinating. Go by and check it out.

Blueslip Winery will have it all going on from 5 to 9 with a bake sale, poster sale, art sale and wine tasting. Proceeds there go to Habitat for Humanity.

The Emporium will feature a collection of seven regional artists including Lisa W. Ellis (Photography), Betsy Hobkirk (Oil and Mixed Media), Gloria Nelson (Oil), Olga Noes (Acrylics), Dennis Sabo (Photography), Jesse Sisken (Photography) and Regina Turner (Acrylics).

The Knoxville Museum of Art will host Jenna (Jefferson) and Her Cool Friends playing their excellent blues from 5:30 to 8:00. Wine and food are available for purchase and the Knoxville Writer’s Guild’s new anthology will be available there with a photograph by Cynthia Markert gracing the cover. Upstairs is free and downstairs is one of the best deals in the city.

Market Square:
6:00 Wall Street Protesters expand to a small southern city near you.
7:00 Bring your dog dressed for a Volunteer Fashion Show
8:00 Movies on the Square features “Clue.”

The Oliver Hotel will feature food, wine and paintings by Andriy Halashyn from Costa Rica and photography by Andrew Stephen Cebulka, as well as vintage photos from the McClung collection.

Also:
Daryl Scott plays the Square Room at 8:00.
The Black Cadillacs: 10:00 Preservation Pub

Saturday

Market Square Farmer’s Market: 9:00 to 2:00 – Come get those fresh vegetables (and great art and crafts) while you can.

The Civil Wars: 8:00 PM in the Bijou.

Angel and the Lovers (featuring Angel Martinez): 9:00 Preservation Pub

Sunday

City People Downtown Homes Tour: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. You have to attend this. It is just too fascinating. Homes all over the center city are featured and you get to meet the occupants, snoop through their home and ask them any question you want! Of course, you’ll move down here after you do this a time or two, but that’s a good thing. Tickets are $10 advance (Bliss and Abode) through Saturday. Sunday tickets are $15.
I’m tired, already. Watch for me out and about with Urban Woman and Urban Toddler. Please come up and introduce yourself. That’s what we do in this little city. Happy Weekend, everybody.

A Peak into Brownlow Condominiums

Brownlow Lofts at the former Brownlow Elementary School

I’ve heard of Brownlow Lofts the 4th and Gill area. I knew it was located in the former Brownlow Elementary School.  I remembered the news story when it broke and the opening sales. Beyond that I had no clue.

Urban Woman checks out the interior of a loft at Brownlow Lofts.

With the help and cooperation of Brownlow pioneer and personal friend of Urban Guy and Urban Woman, Ms. Connie, I recently got a small peak one of the units. Maybe more so than many developments, this one includes a very large range of sizes and shapes within its walls. Consider if you redesigned a classroom into a condo and then redesigned the stage area of the gymnasium into a condo. They would look considerably different.

Kitchen view in Brownlow Lofts.

Ms. Connie’s condo was taken from the stage area of the gym and features great exposed brick walls and a very very high ceiling. It includes two bedrooms built over the main floor which includes the kitchen and den areas. The main bedroom is a loft with a view down on the rest of the condo giving a nice touch to a very cool space.

Ms. Connie hostin’ it up in her Brownlow Loft.

More photos of the lofts are available on the link above. A number of the units remain unsold and are priced from just below 100K to just below 200K, which is pretty reasonable to be in such an historic and resurgent neighborhood. It’s also a pretty easy bike ride to the heart of downtown.

From the gym ceiling (master BR) overlooking the kitchen.

The most interesting fact I learned about  the building is that it was used in the film “Rocket Boys” for the interior shots of Big Creek High School. That’s probably an important fact in that to do the filming, the production company had to deal with the asbestos which, in turn, made the building more attractive for development as condos because that expensive hurdle had been crossed.

If you like touring condos in restored and preserved older buildings, you should consider buying tickets for the upcoming Downtown Home Tour sponsored by City People on October 9. Offering tours of a wide range of styles and sizes of homes, the tickets are $10 in advance and $15 the day of the tour and you can buy them here. It’s great fun – but be warned – many current downtown residents got hooked on downtown living during just such a tour!

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