“I love Nashville. It seems like everywhere you walk; there’s great music coming out of every wall”.
(Imelda May)
My Walk into the Future brought me back to one of my favorite cities, Nashville, Tennessee (NashVegas)! 😊
I always look forward to my yearly pilgrimage to the Music City for the half marathon, live music and great food. Nashville is my city!
I added bridge repeats to my training program this year to help me battle the Nashville hills. This additional training got me ready, like my old training routes in Tallahassee, Florida. I never imagined how the hill training in Tallahassee prepared me for the half marathon distance. Yes, I need more hill training in my life!
The 2025 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon was a battle. This was not because of the distance or the hills. I put in extra work to get me mentally and physically ready to rock the half marathon (pun intended). The battle on race day was because of the unseasonably high humidity. April temperatures in Nashville rarely get past the mid-60s but our race day started with temperatures in this range and the humidity hung in the air. Again, the race temperature at the start was fine but the humidity was my primary worry. Yes, I train in Florida, but the humidity has not been high so far in this training cycle.
The race is well organized and there are aid stations about every 1.5 miles on the course. I made a mental and strategic plan to get extra fluids at the aid stations to keep myself hydrated throughout the race.
I stayed in a new hotel this year. The Marriott Courtyard West End which was one block over from my normal hotel. I got a great rate which included parking and breakfast and allowed me faster access to the great restaurants in the West End of Nashville. I got an early morning flight from Orlando to Nashville so I could hit the race EXPO when it opened and then head over to Broadway for food, beer and music.
Getting through the EXPO was a breeze! The Rock N Roll folks know how to throw a race party. I got my bib, t-shirt and Rock N Roll carry bag and made my way to visit the vendors in the Music City Convention Center. I didn’t really need anything but always get some food samples and explore clothing options. I found a funky headband that matched my projected race outfit and tried out some recovery boots—this is always a highlight if there are no long lines. No, Lauren, I did not buy the high price recovery boots. 😊
I left the EXPO and walked one block over to Broadway to take in the sights and hear great music. My first stop was Rippy’s Honkytonk for food, beer and live music. Rippy’s is a popular spot and has great BBQ. This is not my typical meal before a race, but the pull pork is outstanding, and I doubled up on the French fries as part of my carb loading process. I left Rippy’s and made my way to my favorite spot, The Stage. I love this spot because of the stage configuration and the quality bands that play here. This is my go-to spot in Nashville.
I left The Stage and made my way down to 2nd Ave to check out Luke Comb’s new spot, Category 10. This is where the old Wildhorse Saloon was located, and I was anxious to see what they did to the place. The inside of the venue has been upgraded with new floors, light show and sound system. They also provide line dancing lessons throughout the day. Yes, Maria, I like line dancing when I’m in Nashville. 😊
https://www.rippyshonkytonk.com/
I didn’t want to stay on my feet too much with a half marathon coming up, so I made my way to the Westend of Nashville and checked into my hotel. I made a point to get to bed early so I could tackle the Nashville hills in the morning.
My hotel was only 1 mile away from the race start line, so I walked down Broadway as a warmup. I was assigned Corral #6 this year which put me close to the elite runners. I’m not saying I am elite, but I could see them from where I was standing. 😊 I got a nice warmup by walking to the start line and stretched well before getting into the corral. Getting extra hydration on the course was going to be a needed resource due to the humidity.
The Rock N Roll series uses rolling starts to ensure runners are safe at the start line. They release corrals every two minutes, so I didn’t have to wait long to get my start down Broadway. The first portion of the course on Broadway is downhill before we make a right on 4th Ave and then begin the climb back up towards Music Row.
My first mile was run in 9:20 which felt pretty good considering runners experience the first major hill climb within the first half mile of the race. My pace stayed consistent throughout the race with Mile 11 being my slowest at 10:34. I stuck to my race plan and got fluids at each aid station and made a point to pour water on the back of my head to avoid overheating—this really works. 😊
I finished Mile 13 with a pace of 10:12 and crossed the Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon at 2:12:45 which was 8 minutes faster than 2024 even with the heat and humidity. Unfun fact—there were several racers who needed medical attention on the course. This is the only race where I’ve seen runners receiving medical attention. I’m hoping these runners have speedy recoveries and can get back to running soon.
The race after party was epic again this year with food trucks, free beer and a concert. I stayed around a little longer this year to soak in the atmosphere and celebrate a hard-fought race. I am already looking forward to my return to the 2026 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon.
What are you looking forward to?
FYI–part 2 will cover my time on Broadway! 😊
Irie!
Calvin Williams
“The half marathon is not a race against others; it’s a race against our own doubts”.
(Unknown)
(Nashville / Broadway)
Walk Into the Future 