Mississippi River and the UT/Memphis Game

Had considered getting up at 6am, heading downtown with Karl, and waiting in line for ESPN Gameday tickets so that I'd be guaranteed a ticket for the UT / Memphis game. Instead, decided to go to class at 9am, work on a presentation for my other Memphis class, get my haircut, and go for a run. I wanted to get out of Midtown for my run, so I got in my car and drove in the direction of Mud Island. On the way I changed plans, headed towards the Riverfront Walk parking area and stuffed my keys into my running shorts.

Ran south towards south bluffs, checked out the view of the river and downtown, then turned back north. Gorgeous evening made amazing by the sunset over the river. Very peaceful along the river and nice weather (a bit chilly, but not bad). Ran north to Madison Avenue, made a right up the hill towards downtown, then turned south onto Main Street. Main Street wasn't that busy and ran in between the trolley tracks all the way down to the Civil Rights Museum, where I stopped briefly outside the room where Martin Luther King was assassinated. Then I started making my way towards the Fedex Forum, where I knew it'd be packed with people getting pumped for the Memphis (1) / Tennessee (2) game. I got heckled a little bit a couple of streets away from the Forum but still hadn't run in to the crowds of people I was expecting. When I reached the Forum it was just jammed with orange and blue. I made a circuitous route towards Beale Street after I got stonewalled by a giant mass of people. My route took me past a line of students waiting to get in the game and I was booed by a good number of them. I was having a great time and feeling fantastic by this point of the run. Being around the energy of the Forum and the people getting ready for the game made the run smooth and fun. I took in all of Beale street starting on its east end heading west. Weird looks from people drinking were the norm (I was in running shorts in 45 degree weather) but I received no heckles on Beale. In a few minutes I was back running along the silent, steady flowing river and the soft yellow grass - a stark contrast to the blue shirt wearing, people-packed Fedex Forum area. Finished up my run after the sun went down. I am extremely happy about the run - I got the best of Memphis in 40 minutes. Felt physically great, too.