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.

Jake Bohstedt Morrill reads from Randy Bradley at Union Avenue Books

Jake Bohstedt Morrill at Union Avenue Books

I’ll admit upfront I’ve got a connection – or several of them – with Jake Morrill, the author of the new novella Randy Bradley published by Solid Objects Press. I first met Jake when he was a young teenager and sported a pretty impressive Mohawk haircut. I’ve known his mother for over a quarter century and she has been a kind and helpful friend when I’ve not always been at my best. After the Mohawk era, I didn’t see Jake again until a few days back when he read from his new book at Union Avenue Books.


Jake Bohstedt Morrill at Union Avenue Books, Knoxville, December 2011

 

Jake Bohstedt Morrill ponders a response to a question from the audience

 Through the years I caught bits and pieces: Moving to Austin with his band to conquer the music world; Earning a degree from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop; Living in South Africa; Writing extremely creative short stories; Harvard Divinity School; and finally, a return to the area to serve as the minister at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. With his return to the area came stories of his kindness.
I didn’t realize that the written word had called his name, once more. He, like many authors I’ve heard before him, said that the voice of his main character emerged and would not be quieted. And it is a powerful voice. Written in the form of a lengthy letter and told entirely in the voice of his main character, the short piece slowly unveils the relationship of two sisters. I’ll stop short of giving the plot away by simply saying that the sisters have differing views of reality.


Jake Bohstedt Morrill at Union Avenue Books, Knoxville

 It is an intense, sometimes comical, literary statement for a promising writer who demures when asked about a new project, insisting his family requires his attention. After reading this small jewel, I’m hoping he can find time to share the love with his family and the literary world.

Union Avenue Books still has copies and given its small size and price tag ($14.00), it makes a perfect stocking stuffer or gift for that literary friend who isn’t cool enough to have heard about it, yet. Support an excellent young, local writer and the local bookstore that introduces you to him and to other great authors.

Local Book Heroines, Melinda Meador and Flossie McNabb

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Judy DiGregorio and Art Stewart at the Knoxville Writer’s Guild

Knoxville has an amazing creative community and no where is this more in evidence than at the monthly meetings of the Knoxville Writer’s Guild. Writers from both the city and the surrounding area read from their works and discuss the creative process at the Laurel Theater on the first Thursday of each month.

Judy DiGregorio, Laurel Theater, January 2010

This month featured two writers known for their humor, Judy DiGregorio and Art Stewart. Judy has written humor columns, has been featured in the Chicken Soup series and has compiled her writing in two books, Life Among the Lilliputians 2008 and Memories of a Loose Woman published this past spring. Based on her personal experiences, the books are full of the self-deprecating humor for which she has become known and loved by everyone who has heard her speak or has read her books. Her speaking and reading of her books has become so popular, her publisher Celtic Cat has just released a CD of her work entitled “Jest Judy.” It is available on their web site.

Art Stewart at the Laurel Theater, January 2010

Art is a poet and a scientist and, as strange as that combination may sound, it gets even more difficult to imagine when you learn that he often writes humorous poetry and essays about science. It’s helpful for people like myself who remembers very few chuckles in the years of science instruction I endured. He has three books to his credit, Rough Ascension and Other Poems of Science (2003), Bushido: The Virtues of Rei and Makoto (2005), and his recently-released Circle, Turtle, Ashes, available at the Celtic Cat link above.

It’s a great way to spend an hour or so each month and learn more about local and regional writers. Why don’t you join us in February? The featured speaker will be Pamela Schoenwaldt whose new novel When We were Strangers is making its way to book stores and will be available on Amazon February 1. This is a very exciting debut novel and I’ll be writing more about the novel and the novelist, soon.

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