Nashville Rock N Roll Marathon
The trip to Nashville, TN in April 2017 wasn’t my first time heading to the Country Music Capital, but it was my first time going there for #audittraveladventures. It has since become one of my favorite audit travel destinations. For my trip in April 2017, again I found myself there over a weekend…so just like for Syracuse I did some research on races happening in Nashville that weekend, if any – so I can knock out TN as a state in which I have raced. As it just so happened, the Nashville Rock N Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon were going on the weekend I was there! I had done the LA Marathon a few years before, and actually had registered for the Ojai to Ventura Marathon for the end of May 2017…so decided to do the Full Marathon for this race. Opposite of Syracuse in February, Nashville had record hot temperatures the day of the race! Walking up to the starting line it was hot already. Before a half marathon, I usually eat a power bar of some kind and drink a gatorade…that morning I drank two…
And speaking of heat…after mile 18 I could hear the constant noise of sirens. Later I found out, the race director cut the race short in two locations: 1) where the marathon and half-marathon split, marathoners not yet past that point were directed to go with the half-marathoners 2) the point where the marathoners join the half-marathoners before splitting again, they were directed to finish the race with the half-marathoners. I made it past both points before the race was cut short. When I run a race, normally I run the entire distance, even running through the water stations, sipping my water. That day I walked in two different sections for about a mile because it was so hot – it was either that or puke…I decided walking was the better option. Although it was hot and I walked a couple times, I still scored a PR (Personal Record) for the race! The race finished at Nissan Stadium, where the Titans play!
After the race, I decided to walk the two+ miles back to my hotel in the West End…I was too smelly for an Uber; they would definitely not appreciate it – and I didn’t want the bad passenger review; plus it was a great cool down; my legs didn’t cramp as much as they normally do. As it turned out, a friend from my childhood lived just outside of Nashville. We met for dinner that night on the east side of Nashville at the Pharmacy…my favorite post race meal is a burger and fries…this place had something better…tater tots! lol Two days later in Nashville I caught Ron White’s act during the launch of his tequila brand…Number Juan Tequila. I highly recommend Nashville as a must-travel-destination. Until next time…
