Urban Bourbon Trail

We recently went to Louisville, Kentucky, for the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon. But, of course, we had to sample the other delights the town had to offer. The first one, of course, was the Urban Bourbon Trail. 

The Urban Bourbon Trail is a list of Louisville bars and restaurants. First you download their app, then after you visit at least 6 of them, make a purchase and "check in", then you receive a prize: an "Urban Bourbon Trailblazer" shirt. I had looked at the list and made a plan. 

First we stopped at Book & Bourbon -- a bar IN THE AIRPORT. As they say, "First Stop. Last Stop. Both."

We had an old fashioned -- because it's the official cocktail of Louisville. Now, it was just a drink in an airport bar, but it was pretty tasty. 

We grabbed a taxi into town, got settled into our hotel, then went to our next stop; Troll Pub Under the Bridge. 

Seriously, look how cute this troll is: 

Let's be honest here -- I don't really remember what I had. I fear it may have just been a Jim Beam and Diet Coke because I wanted to make sure and have bourbon...

Then we went around the corner to Merle's Whiskey Kitchen for dinner. We had some very good vegetarian tacos and, of course, cocktails: 

This time I had a ginger-lemonade-bourbon drink: 

If you're counting (and who isn't?) we had 3 of our 6 stops done on the first day. 

On day 2 we went to Churchill Downs. They have an excellent museum there and we went on a brief track visit. They've also done a good job at creating photo ops... because we live in an Instagram world...

They also have a cafe and bar that's on the Urban Bourbon Trail -- so we stopped in for a mint julep. (What else could we possibly have had?!?!)

We went from there to pick up our race packets, and then decided to get "stamp" number 5 at the Down One: a bar that's "down one" flight of stairs, of course. I had the seasonal Chai Old Fashioned, which was delicious. 

With a lot of the afternoon to spare and little to do we stopped in at the Louisville Slugger Factory, and then... because we were walking past it... stopped in at the Bristol Bar & Grille Downtown because they had a sign outside advertising "Old Fashioned Friday" with the signature cocktail for just $5. How could we resist? 

When we "checked in" we immediately got a text saying we had completed the trail and that we could go to the visitor center to redeem our prize. They gave us a pair of good-looking shirts and a pair of very nice hats ("these were left over from last month's promotion"). Even better, of course, was they took a picture of us with the Colonel. Hooray for Louisville!

Urban Bourbon Half Marathon race report

Note: I'm finally writing this post in mid March, but I'm publishing this race report on the day of the actual race to keep the blog organized.

Kentucky was a "lost state" in my 50 States project -- it didn't match with anything else for a trip. Luckily, there was a race on my "wishlist": the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon in Louisville. 

Several years ago we ran the Oak Barrel Half in Lynchburg, Tennessee -- home of Jack Daniels. The race ran through the backroads of Tennessee, including one really big, "named" hill. The medal was made from an oak bourbon barrel (all these years later it STILL smells delicious!), and the shirt, hat and swag was also top notch. 

When I first heard of the Urban Bourbon half, the medals looked like a Jim Beam bottle -- which seemed like the perfect match. Of course, things change, so in 2023 the medals looked like an Evan Williams bottle -- which is fair, because there's a large Evan Williams presence in the town. 

The other nice thing about this race is that it's run in October -- just in time for some pre-Halloween fun. So we planned out a trip to Louisville for the race, followed by a short visit to the Great Smoky Mountains and... DOLLYWOOD. 

But, first, we had a race to run. 

We flew out on Thursday and picked up our packets on Friday. The pickup was at Louisville Slugger Field, home of the minor league Louisville Bats. (Cuuuuute.) Fast pickup, a nice mini expo, and bourbon tasting. 

After the race we finished our Urban Bourbon Trail and went to the visitor center to pick up our reward -- a handsome shirt and hat. And of course we snapped a pic with the Colonel, too. 

Race morning was cool and clear -- perfect running weather. We joined the large crowd at the start -- it was a little odd to be in a big crowd like that. I'm sure this was the biggest race we had run since before COVID began.

We started out by running along the main drag, then turned past the stadium and eventually did a long loop around the Cherokee neighborhood before coming back into town.

note Wil's Urban Bourbon Trail "reward" t-shirt!

It was nice to explore the neighborhoods outside of downtown -- we ran past a great area full of bars and restaurants, past the cemetery where Muhammad Ali and Harlan Sanders were buried, and through a gorgeous, windy, hilly park. 

When we had finished the loop and were running back through Butchertown, we passed a house where a bunch of guys were sitting on a "yard couch" (as our friend Kurt would say, "it's a couch we use in the backyard"). They'd been there on our way out, drinking, and they were still there, drinking, and whooping for the runners who passed. 

The wind was picking up as we headed back to downtown, and we were happy to turn away from the river and go up the last hills to the finish. Okay, we weren't happy about the hills, per se, but we were happy to be out of the wind. As per usual, we held hands and ran across the finish line. 

One of the perks of this race is a post-race Bourbon Bash in the Fourth Street Live! entertainment area. Pizza slices, burgoo (a meaty stew), and bourbon tastes were promised, along with live music. We waded in and discovered that everything had huge, slow-moving lines. After a few minutes we looked at each other and just left. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of people having a very good time. But we were happy to just find our own post-race fun. 

One of the other perks of this race, you see, is something they call the "Urban Bourbon Walk" -- visit one or all of the four locations on race day, show your medal, and make a purchase, and get a custom pin. You know how much I love a custom pin, sooo...

We started at O'Sheas because, well, because they were already open. After a quick drink there we went to Bearno's and had a drink and a small pizza between us. Then to Troll Pub (where we'd been on our first day) and Merle's (where we'd been the previous night) and of course GOT ALL THE PINS. 

The Urban Bourbon Half Marathon is run in mid-October every year. It's a nice, mid-sized race with a well-organized packet pickup, good swag, good organization, some pleasant scenery along the route, and a good post-race party. The town really embraces the race, too, which is nice to see. 

Urban Bourbon Half Marathon

3:10:57

Magic City Half Marathon Race Report

 

The final race of our "southern swing" was the Magic City Half Marathon. This race had a lot going for it -- the 5K option is Birmingham's "Girls on the Run" graduation 5K, so huge thumbs up to them for that. It also starts and ends at a baseball stadium, so there was plenty of bathrooms and we could have gotten undercover if the weather was bad. But the weather, though cold, was lovely!

We got into Birmingham on Saturday afternoon; tired and achy from the morning's race in Meridian, MS. We drove out to funky Avondale to pick up our race packets at a very nice brewpub with a huge outdoor space. Had it been warmer (and we been less tired), we might have lingered. 

Then to our big chain hotel -- Home2Suites by Hilton -- where we had a warm, friendly welcome one might have hoped to have in a fancier hotel. (I'm looking at you, Threefoot Meridian...). 

That night we stretched our legs a bit, seeing the Birmingham Barons stadium lit up, and the groovy "rainbow underpass". The lights on both change colors slowly, and it looked amazing.

Also, look how cute this sign is! I sure hope that her tail wags and her eyes move when they hit a home run. 

The next morning we bundled up (c-c-c-cold again) and headed to the start. This was a bigger race, and one we thought we would really enjoy as the course was simple -- just two loops with long straightaways. 

We lined up -- towards the back, of course... but notice how bundled up people were!

And then we headed out, past the replica "Magic City" sign. No, I didn't know that Birmingham's nickname was the Magic City either. 

The original sign used to stand in front of the train station, but deteriorated and was torn down in 1952, and sold as scrap. 

Postcard from Birmingham Public Library

But when the Rotary Trail was built, a replica was included. Not quite as pretty, but a nice nod to the history!

ANYWAY, there I go again getting distracted. I got distracted a lot during this race because, well... it was a little boring. 

I thought the long straightaways would be nice, relaxing. But in the end it just felt like we weren't moving at all. A loooooong way out along the train lines, an odd little lollipop loop in an industrial area (that we saw a huge number of people miss / skip, BOTH laps), then a cut over to Avondale, and then a looooooooong way back to downtown. Then around the outside of the stadium, and back out again. 

The aid stations were frequent, well staffed, and well stocked. One was staffed by what was probably a track team? Cross-country team? Who were upbeat, dancing, and making "runner tunnels" for people to run through and high five. 

At some point we caught up with the back of the 5K pack, including a pair who were dressed as the tortoise and the hare, which made us smile. 

Towards the end of our second lap we passed a lot of folks who were fading, so we did our best to cheer them up and keep them moving. 

The best part, of course, was running down the steep ramp to get on the field at the stadium, and run around the warning track to home plate and the finish. I think there were shoutouts by an announcer, and some pics on the jumbotron. And then we were done. 

After the race, sitting in the stadium, drinking a beer and snacking on pizza, we met a woman who had finished her 50th state THAT DAY. She told me that "you'll speed up at the end", and that she ran 17 STATES in 2022. I guess with so many races canceled in 2020-2021, she had a lot pent up! 

We headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up and have a nap, but we didn't have to rush out as we were staying one more night. Why? To make sure we had the chance to visit THIS GUY:

We passed through Birmingham in 2016 en route to Tupelo with Wil's folks, but sadly Vulcan was undergoing restoration so we couldn't visit. You can take an elevator up to the base of the statue and there's a nice view (and I don't mean of Vulcan's bare bottom, ahem...):

There's also a museum (we saw an exhibit about soda pop), but let's face it, the big attraction is the big guy!

But this was supposed to be a race report, so let's wrap it up. The medals were handsome and large -- I love the "stained glass" in it:

Magic City Half Marathon
3:14:04.75
14:49 pace

Most importantly, this was STATE 41!

 

Magnolia Half Marathon race report

I chose the Magnolia Half Marathon for my Mississippi race based simply on timing. A week after the Summit2Summit Half in Arkansas, the day before the Magic City Half in Alabama. But in the end it was a good choice -- a sweet little small-town race with thoughtful touches that prove the Race Director is herself a runner. 

On the Friday afternoon we dropped in to Threefoot Brewing to pick up our race packets. Swag included a nice shirt, a decent reusable bag, and the offer of a previous year race shirt for free. (We politely declined...never wear a shirt for a race you didn't run!)

On a verrrry cold morning we gathered at the start with the small group of runners. They had an announcer talking about past winners -- plus there were two runners who had participated in all 10 of the races over the years; they were given free entries to the race for life. That's a nice touch. Recognizing your repeat runners is a great way to build a loyal following!

The fire department were there with a great big flag (a small-town classic!). In the background you can see our hotel, the Threefoot Meridian, so you can see how close were were staying to the start!

A little before 7, following the national anthem an a prayer (ahh, the south...), we gathered in the starting chute. 

The course was really, REALLY well marked with these amazing signs. Branded in all 4 corners, they could be turned whatever direction the arrow needed to go. I love a race that doesn't assume you've memorized the course, and shows that sometimes you just go straight at an intersection. 

We started off with a little loop around downtown -- first through a long underpass beneath the railroad tracks, then a few blocks, and then a soaring bridge back across them into downtown. You can see how big the railroads are here!

We then ran out to an area of handsome older homes, past a golf club, and then a loooooooooong straight shot back into downtown. While we were headed back into town we passed a few other runners, including a woman who was running her first ever half. "Everything hurts!" she said as we passed her. We told her she was doing great, and that we were within 5K of the finish. "5K...ok...I can do that."

Though I didn't take a lot of pictures, I did snap this of a new Jimmie Rodgers mural. 

The race finished with one more little loop -- down the underpass, back over the bridge, and then done. 

At the end we got a nice little shout-out -- at packet pick up we were asked to write a little note about why we were running, etc. Of course, by the time we finished there weren't many half marathoners still out on the course! But it was nice to get a "Here's Sunny Delaney from Seattle, Washington, who has just finished her 40th state!" regardless. 

The course itself was varied if not particularly interesting. But when we came to water stops they were staffed with enthusiastic volunteers and well stocked, too. And, again, the course marking was excellent with dozens and dozens of those very clear arrow signs. 

Once across the finish line we were given our handsome, handmade medal:

We spent the last mile or so with a woman who had run the race several times before, who told us all about the medals. They're made from magnolia wood from fallen or cut trees (they even have a note on their website asking locals to contact them if they have a tree fall). The RD's father makes each medal; the shape reflects that year's race. So as this was the 10th running, it was a 10-sided medal. Then each one has the logo burned into it, and it's hung on a handsome custom ribbon. (There's a nice collection of photos on the Magnolia Marathon website.)

Medals around our necks, we grabbed a slice of pizza and then headed back to the hotel -- we only had an hour to get showered and changed and on the road to our next location. Farewell, Meridian!

Magnolia Half Marathon

3:10:49.37

14:34 pace

And, of course, STATE #40!