“What a glorious battle we had today.”
(Calvin Williams)
The quote above is directly from me! Yes, Lynn, I am quoting myself now on the blog. 😊
My Walk into the Future allowed me to head back up to Nashville, Tennessee for the 2026 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon. This was my eighth time with this glorious battle, and I have already signed up for #9 in 2027. I love Nashville and battling the hills and heat are a byproduct of running this race.
The glorious battle concept is listed because I didn’t have the best training cycle preparing for this year’s race. I’m always training but didn’t get in my normal bridge runs as part of my preparation. This is an easy lesson to remember but I didn’t make the time to get up and down on the bridges this year. Fun fact, I signed up for the 2027 version as soon as I got back to my hotel after this run. I’ve also started with my bridge repeats just to make sure my fitness levels are back where I expect them to be. 😊
I changed my routine and flew out of Palm Beach International (PBI) Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida instead of my normal Orlando flights. PBI is only 50 minutes from my house in Fort Pierce and had better flight times than Orlando this year. I had a short layover in Atlanta, but the flight times got me to Nashville around 10:30 am. I was able to pick up my rental car without any issues and made the short drive to downtown Nashville to check out the race EXPO.
I love this EXPO because they bring in a lot of local vendors and have product demos available. I always make my way to the massage areas to see what’s new in that space. I was able to try out leg compression sleeves for about 30 minutes while in the EXPO area. The salespeople are good, but I didn’t purchase a pair. I got my race bib and goody bag and made my way over to Broadway for food, beer and live music.
My first stop was at Rippy’s Honky Tonk for some BBQ, beer and live music. This venue is right on the corner, so it is a great place to watch people walk up and down Broadway. The Stage was my next stop because I love the sound system there and people are friendly. The morning bands are not as good as the later acts but there was a good vibe, and people were dancing at noon on a Friday. Nashville is a great place!
Luke Comb’s, Category Ten was my ultimate stop for the day. This venue replaced the old Wildhorse Saloon, but they did not get rid of the line dancing lessons. They have line dance instructors who lead guests every hour and show two different line dances. Most of the dances they teach are new to me so it’s great the instructors walk you through each one step by step before turning us loose with music. Most people are surprised to see me on the dance floor kicking up my heels, but I love this venue, the music and the people. Yeehaw! 😊
I followed the instructors through two separate line dance sessions and decided to head to my hotel on the Westend to get off my feet and prepare for the battle the next morning. I took a chance and changed from my normal hotel to a brand-new Residence Inn less than a block from where I normally stay. I love the Westend because once you park you can explore the area by walking around and taking in the sights. The Westend has more of a community feel so you can mix and mingle with locals in the bars.
I got to bed early so I could get ready for the Nashville hills on race day. My hotel was a little over a mile from the race start line and I use the walk down as part of my warmup. I arrived at the race site with plenty of time to warm up and stretch. I also followed one of my traditions and made a stop at the First Baptist Church to soak in their hospitality. The church is open to runners and spectators to provide a convenient place to get water, relax and go to the bathroom. The church members are super friendly, and I met the head pastor this year while waiting to go into the bathroom. It’s always great to interact with the First Baptist Church folks!
I made my way to my start corral to mentally lock in for the hills, heat and miles. It was a bit warmer than normal this year but everyone in the start corrals had smiles on their faces and got ready to run NashVegas.
First forward a bit and my first mile went by with a 9:38 pace. Fun fact, this was the fastest mile split I would run on the day. ☹ I didn’t fall apart but there was no extra gear coming today. I realized at the Mile 5 marker that this was not going to be a fast day, so I decided to enjoy the race, the crowds and the sights. I’ve run this race multiple times but I never looked up to see how beautiful the Belmont University campus was. It was like I was seeing the campus for the first time when in fact I just never looked up to take in ALL the sights. I almost stopped to take pictures but that would have taken the running tourist moniker a bit farther. 😊
I finished the half marathon with a little kick and a small smile on my face this year. I knew I didn’t train specifically for this race so decided not to beat myself up based on my time. The effort was there; I just need to match that with the correct training cycle. The 2027 race will be my redemption tour and get me back to running fast in Nashville.
I got my customary photos and beer in the race village before walking back across the bridge to get food. My go to spot after the half marathon is ACME Feed and Seed which sits right on the Cumberland River. I got fried chicken, collard greens and macaroni and cheese bowl. It tastes better each year when I get it. I took a slow walk back to my hotel after lunch to recover, stretch and take a nap.
The rest of my time in Nashville was dedicated to live music, beer drinking and shopping. I made two stops to one of my favorite spots, The Midtown Café. This is an outstanding breakfast and lunch spot. I always find a seat at the bar and enjoy watching the locals come in and out. I recommend this spot if you make your way to Nashville.
Well, that’s my recap of my annual trip to Nashville. I’m looking forward to get back up there for a Titans football game later this year. There may be another Nashville article coming this year. 😊
Irie!
Calvin Williams
Walk Into the Future 
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