I ran the Nashville Marathon under an unusually scorching October sun, crossing the line inside a baseball stadium for my slowest race of the year

- Nashville Marathon -

Capital of American Country Music

2023 PW

Preface

Last Tuesday, I had a Zoom meeting with Gloria, a young Black researcher from our collaborating group at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. We discussed details about model design, numerical simulation, and the meaning of a few formulas—pretty boring stuff.

Once we wrapped up those dry technical details, I thought it would be nice to have some casual chit-chat. Since it was just a small meeting and the bosses weren't around, the vibe was quite relaxed.

Then, I naturally brought up the Nashville Marathon I ran at the end of October. In that split second, I saw her eyes light up. She said she was planning to run the Nashville Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in April with her friends, and asked if I did the half or the full, and whether it was fun. The atmosphere instantly became lively and cheerful.

In the end, our meeting concluded with laughter. I wished her a happy Christmas holiday and good luck with her run next April.

I suddenly realized how great the social aspect of cities and marathons is! It is the ultimate icebreaker. I'm also keen to keep filling in my timeline for this year. After Chicago, let's talk about Nashville—and about the slowest run I had this year: the Nashville Marathon in Tennessee (Run Nash).

Capital of Country Music: Nashville

🎸 Nashville, Tennessee

Americans often use a phrase to describe a middle-of-nowhere place: 'in the middle of nowhere.' For people living in the metropolitan areas of the East and West coasts, Tennessee is undoubtedly one of those places—and Kentucky certainly is, too.

Yet, despite this perception, Tennessee is home to two of America's three great music landmarks: New Orleans in Louisiana (jazz), Memphis in Tennessee (rock and blues), and Nashville (country music). Thus, Tennessee is known as the Music State, and Nashville is crowned the "Capital of Country Music" and "Music City."

Music is the soul of Nashville. After safely disembarking on the banks of the Cumberland River in the 17th century, Nashville's earliest settlers celebrated by playing fiddles and dancing buck dances along the waterfront. In the 18th century, the Fisk Jubilee Singers—an a cappella ensemble from Nashville's Fisk University—became the first group to embark on a global concert tour, cementing Nashville's reputation as "Music City."

The city features the Grand Ole Opry, often called the soul of country music, which has hosted weekly live stage concerts since 1925, rain or shine. It is also home to one of the world's largest museums, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

I love country music—the melodies are simple and easy to listen to, from 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' to Taylor Swift. I clearly remember the first time I heard a Taylor Swift song. It was during a high school self-study session one afternoon. My desk mate Xueying told me, 'There's a really beautiful song with a great music video, want to check it out?' It was 'You Belong with Me.' What did it feel like hearing her for the first time? Probably like how people in the 1990s felt when they first heard Teresa Teng. After that, my MP3 player was filled with her songs.

On the streets of Nashville, music elements are everywhere: shop signs, vehicles, and wall graffiti. Busy singers carry their bulky guitar cases—loaded with musical dreams—as they rush through the streets. Colorful neon lights, music, and vocals constantly wash over your eyes and ears, making you feel as though the very air is filled with music.

In 2001, after watching a program featuring country singer Faith Hill on TV, 11-year-old Taylor Swift decided she wanted to become a country singer and move to Nashville. After learning basic chords, she wrote her first song, 'Lucky You.' To help their daughter pursue her musical dreams, her parents moved the entire family to Nashville, where they visited music labels along Music Row, hand-delivering her demo CDs to every receptionist.

The honky-tonk bars along Broadway are gathering spots for country music creators, providing a stage for musicians to realize their dreams. Many famous country singers started their careers performing here. Even established artists frequently return to perform alongside young talent.

Guitars, leather boots, and cowboy hats are symbols of American country music and are common sights in the bars. Every bar has its own unique style, and walking down the street, one is bound to draw you in. Listening to original country music here makes you truly feel the passion and romance of Nashville.

Nashville on Friday Afternoon

🎸 Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville isn't far from us—just over a three-hour drive. Since we didn't have any urgent work on Friday, we set off early and headed to Nashville.

Right after arriving in Nashville, we found a great Indian buffet. The waiter was very curious about the action camera on my chest. I told him it was a DJI Action 2, and when I mentioned we were here to run the Nashville Marathon, he said he was familiar with the race.

After eating, we headed to the marathon expo at the Music City Center to pick up our packets. The setup wasn't huge, which was expected, since the late October race is smaller than the big one in April.

After collecting our gear and taking some photos at the expo, we realized it was still early, so we decided to wander around the nearby neighborhoods. We had no specific travel plans or itinerary for this trip—just going with the flow.

The streets around the Music City Center were bustling. Every now and then, a pedal tavern/party bike would pass by, with people singing and dancing on board.

We searched for a landmark: the Tennessee State Capitol. It wasn't far—just over a mile—so we planned to walk. After walking about two blocks, the streets suddenly became noisy and packed with people. By accident, we had wandered right onto Broadway's honky-tonk highway.

And this was only Friday afternoon! The crowds were unreal. We joined the flow of people walking down the street. It was exactly as described: an abundance of music-related elements everywhere. Catching a live show here must be an incredible experience.

Next, we arrived at the Tennessee State Capitol, which was designed and built in the early 19th century by the renowned architect William Strickland. Showcasing classical Greek Revival architecture, it is the heart and iconic symbol of Tennessee's state government.

Admission is free. The security guard saw the marathon packets we were holding, greeted us warmly, and pointed out the best route for our self-guided tour.

The interior of the Capitol is beautiful, and I even spotted the familiar Greek Key pattern. It was definitely worth the visit.

There is also an outdoor terrace where visitors can get fresh air and enjoy views of the city center. What left a lasting impression on me was a horseback statue and a train rumbling off into the distance.

After touring the Capitol, we took a stroll along the Cumberland River. Originating in Harlan County in southeastern Kentucky, the Cumberland River has played a vital role in American history, serving as a primary water transport route for early settlers and pioneers, thereby driving economic growth.

There were some homeless folks along the banks, relaxing peacefully on the grassy riverbank, reading books and newspapers. The area didn't feel unsafe at all.

Without realizing it, we wandered onto the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. The bridge is right next to Broadway, and across the river stands Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans. The bridge was adorned with banners of Titans players, showing just how much Americans love football.

The bridge offers a spectacular view of the Nashville skyline. A passerby asked us to take a photo for them, and they kindly returned the favor for Siqi and me. The scenery was beautiful. I took out my bib and captured a photo with the city skyline in the background—a snapshot of the Nashville skyline unique to Run Nash in October 2023.

We didn't walk all the way to the end of the bridge, because we would cross it again during the marathon the next day, which would take us deeper into North Nashville.

On our way back to the car, we passed a beautiful golden angel statue called 'The Recording Angel.' Created by Audrey Flack, this 14-foot bronze sculpture stands in the courtyard of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Flack unveiled the statue in December 2006. An inscription on it reads: "The recording angel inscribes the tones that envelopes the heart and heal the bones, that lighten life's toll, and soothe the soul."

We drove back to our Airbnb. As soon as we entered the neighborhood, we could feel the festive Halloween atmosphere. The Airbnb was very comfortable and cozy—much better than a hotel. After watching an episode of "Divas Hit the Road" (the 2023 season premiere focusing on the trip to Saudi Arabia), we went to bed early to rest up for the next day's City Walk and City Run.

Nashville Marathon

🎸 Nashville, Tennessee

This autumn's Nashville Marathon is the second-largest running event in the city. The half marathon is the main attraction, so there weren't many full marathon runners. Held at the end of October, the race usually enjoys cool weather.

In past years, the full marathon course in Nashville consisted of two 13-mile loops, meaning runners had to repeat the half marathon route twice.

However, for the 2022 edition, the organizers changed the course to avoid repetitive loops. Instead of repeating the first half, runners now follow the greenway out to the Ted Rhodes Golf Course to complete the 26.2-mile distance. I thought this was a great change at first, as I still have nightmares about the repetitive course in Cleveland.

On race day, we set off before dawn. As we arrived at the starting line by the Tennessee Capitol, the sky began to brighten.

The start area was lively, featuring runners cosplaying as Mario and Princess Peach. We joined the crowd, and before long, the race kicked off.

For the first five miles, we ran through downtown Nashville. We could see the distant spires of churches and modern high-rises, and kids were giving out high-fives from the party bikes parked along the road.

Around Mile 2, we ran past the "Musica" statue. This sculpture features nine dancing figures, both male and female, arranged in a circular composition. Standing 40 feet tall, the monument conveys the idea that "dance is the physical expression of music."

At Mile 3, we reached the southernmost point of the course before doubling back, passing the 'Musica' statue again at Mile 4. We then headed along Demonbreun Street through downtown Nashville, leading straight to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge.

The bridge in the morning felt different from the previous afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, warming our faces. Cheering squads lined the pedestrian path, and when I pulled out my action camera, they cheered loudly for me.

After crossing the bridge, we entered East Nashville. I made a quick restroom stop and encountered two cosplaying musicians. One of them, dressed in a bright red-and-yellow outfit resembling tomato and scrambled eggs, greeted me warmly.

The next segment headed east along the Cumberland River and Shelby Park Road. After Mile 8, the full marathoners split from the half marathoners. We, the full marathon pack, continued east along the river on the Shelby Bottoms Greenway until looping back at Mile 10.

On my way back, I saw a visually impaired runner guided by a companion on the greenway, which was deeply moving. The volunteers' bright smiles were also very comforting.

Since I hadn't spotted Siqi, I tracked her position around Mile 12. Seeing that she was still moving steadily on the course, I figured she was doing fine.

With Halloween just around the corner, there were several spooky decorations along the road, adding a festive vibe.

After Mile 13, we returned to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. By this time, the temperature in Nashville had begun to rise, making the long incline up the bridge feel like a real grind.

The Princess Peach runner in front of me was walking alone on the bridge. I wondered where her Mario had run off to.

A brief stretch of city streets followed. As the sun beat down harder, I noticed a runner who had collapsed from exhaustion. Volunteers rushed to help and gestured for others to run around them.

The sun grew increasingly intense, prompting me to gulp down several cups of water at the Mile 14 riverside aid station. With the heat rising, I decided it was time to gear up: I put on my new sunglasses and adjusted my cap to display the 'NEVER GIVE UP' logo. That is the true attitude of a 'legendary' runner.

Local musicians lined the streets to cheer us on, wisely setting up their instruments in the shade.

At this point, the half marathoners were heading to the finish line, while we turned onto Gay Street heading west. After passing construction sites and graffiti-covered walls, we reached the MetroCenter Levee Greenway—a scenic riverside path along the Cumberland.

I took a gel at the 16 km mark. I thought to myself: this greenway is quite nice, offering views of the Cumberland River. This section felt similar to the second half of the Kentucky Derby Marathon.

But to my surprise, this 8-mile greenway stretch had only a single aid station (around Mile 19.5). When we first entered, it was overcast, but the hot sun soon broke through. Running with my back to the sun was bearable, but it was still a tough stretch.

We finally reached the aid station at Mile 19.5. I saw many runners stopping to drink water and take electrolytes. After the station, we had to run about another mile before reaching the turnaround point.

The sun got hotter and the temperature kept climbing. In late October, Nashville was pushing nearly 30°C (86°F). Running back meant facing the direct sunlight, making the race even more grueling. I eventually switched to a run-walk method.

At Mile 23, local residents set up a station offering cups of ice-cold water, which was incredibly refreshing. I was extremely grateful.

Finally, at Mile 24.5, I made it back to the aid station at the entrance of the MetroCenter Levee Greenway. The sun-drenched river section was finally behind me, and the finish line was near.

For the final stretch, I ran through a railroad tunnel and back under the starting arch, finishing on the field of the Nashville Sounds baseball stadium. As I passed the start arch, a fellow finisher kindly offered to take a few photos of me. It was a very nice gesture, especially since there were hardly any official photographers on the course.

The Nashville Sounds play in a minor league baseball stadium. After running through Denver's Mile High football stadium, I have now checked off finishing in a baseball stadium.

Siqi had been waiting for a while at the finish line and caught my final sprint on camera—pretty cool! The weather was so hot that my face was covered in salt crusts.

But the thrill of crossing the finish line instantly washed away the fatigue. I quickly found a helpful volunteer to take a photo of Siqi and me. The volunteers were truly wonderful.

There was post-race sparkling water, though they were already packing up the booths. I finished in nearly 5 hours and 20 minutes—quite slow, and definitely my PW (personal worst) of the year.

Then Siqi and I noticed a ping-pong table and paddles inside the stadium. We couldn't resist playing two games. The outcome was predictable: I won 2-0 quite easily.

Afterward, we found a Planet Fitness to shower, then headed home. The three-hour drive didn't feel tiring. We listened to 'The Big Band' on the way back, completing a very fulfilling Saturday.

Epilogue

The Nashville Marathon is indeed a tough race. The city is hilly, and the course had about 844 feet (257 meters) of elevation gain. Plus, the weather was unusually hot and sunny. Knowing that, I can easily come to terms with my worst time of the year.

Visiting Cindy's house the next day, I learned that Ryan finished the Indiana Yak Marathon on the same day with a time close to mine—and that was his very first marathon! On Facebook, American friends who ran the Yak Marathon were posting their times: Raquel finished her first marathon in 3:40, and Todd, who used to lose steam quickly during our training runs, had trained hard and finished in 3:50. Not to mention friends on WeChat who were breaking 4 hours or even 3 hours left and right.

I was indeed a bit inspired. I felt that running marathons needs some goals; otherwise, it lacks that extra drive, clarity, and sense of achievement.

After all, a 'legendary' runner should look the part, or else it feels like a sham! So, I've decided to run seriously next time and show what these beginner feet can do.

- The end -

Words | Arsenan

Photos | Arsenan

Design | Arsenan