Happy Tuesday friends! I’m linking up with Kim from Kooky Runner and Zenaida for their Tuesday Topics link-up. The official topic of the week is “What did you learn from your worst race?” but instead I’m sharing a list of ways to know you’re a Twin Cities Runner!
I’ll call this part 3 of a series- I wrote the first one back in 2014 (wow, this blog has been around a long time!) Read Part 1 HERE. Part 2 was in 2015- catch up HERE.
Six years later, it’s time for Part 3!
Here are my 2021 ways to know you’re a Twin Cities Runner….
- You cringe when people still call it Calhoun, but you often refer to it as “Biddy” (Bde) or BMS for short.
- You know that Justice Page sightings on Lake of the Isles are great! …but you’re also are familiar with Red Jacket Guy, Braids, Grumpy Lady, or Man Pulling a Tire Behind Him! I’m sure it’s similar in other locations, but there are definitely a crew of regulars running the lakes!
- You researched Park Board candidates to see who might be planning to fix that terrible section of Bde Maka Ska.
- Speaking of the Park Board, you’ve emailed them about the lack of porta-potties on Lake of the Isles or on the stretch from Lake Harriet to Lake Nokomis on Minnehaha Parkway.
- Albino squirrel sightings are common, but still make you smile. A rafter of turkeys, a cute fox, an enormous bald eagle, a rogue deer- you’ve seen it all on the run!
- The pandemic was tough for us all, but wasn’t it cool when the parkways around the Chain of Lakes were open only to foot traffic? It was meant to help with social distancing, which it definitely did, but I kinda miss all the space!
- You have started the day with a run in shorts and ended it running in a blizzard!
- Running in the dark in the winter is made slightly more tolerable when you can admire the incredible holiday lights on the beautiful homes on Lake of the Isles!
- Your phone is full of sunrise or sunset pics over one of the many lakes or the Mississippi river!
- You also have many a selfie from running past the spoon & cherry in the Sculpture Garden!
- You cherish the varied costumes of Peter Cottontail on the Trail!
- The return of the public water fountains in the spring is a reason to rejoice!
- The first Sunday in October is essentially a Minnesota holiday. The Twin Cities Marathon is the BEST. Whether you are participating or spectating, it’s one of the best days in the fall in the Twin Cities.
That’s it! Let me know what I missed and be sure to check out the other posts on Kim and Zenaida’s link-up!
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Love this- I also went back and read parts 1 and 2. What I love is your enthusiasm for your city (cities?) I think the Twin Cities area is beautiful, but it takes a certain type of person to appreciate it. You have to be tough- I would curl up into a ball and die right about now. It’d probably what makes it so special- you Minnesotans really know how to embrace all the seasons and see the beauty in it.
Aww, thank you Jenny! Minnesotans really do embrace all the seasons 🙂 Thanks for reading!
How fun! Years ago, I could have said that you know you run on the W&OD Trail if you’ve seen the guy running shirtless in jean shorts and Converse sneakers that squeaked (we named him Squeaky). He ran dressed like that year round no matter how cold, even when it was in the teens!
Oh boy, Squeaky! I love it. That’s impressive that he was shirtless ALL year. I’m sure many runners remember him!
I am definitely not from Twin Cities. I don’t know any of these things. Maybe I should do a similar post with Boston and/or Southern California. LOL
Yes, this post is more relatable for people who live here 🙂 Definitely write your own version, would love to read it!
So much cool wildlife! While we do have Eagles here, sightings tend to be few & far between. Albie is the first Albino squirrel I’ve ever seen, and I’m about to turn 60 in a few months! Can’t imagine them being common.
Those lake sunrise/sets are just beautiful. Too chilly for me, though!
I have no idea why we have so many albino squirrels here, but they somehow keep reproducing as there’s no way its the same one I see all the time!
Yes, our winters are chilly, but it makes us appreciate the nice days even more!
I’d love to run the marathon (or half) in October! I’ve heard so many great things about it. I love the spoon and cherry sculpture 😉
I hope you do Twin Cities one day Kim! There’s the marathon and a 10 mile on race day- no half though! But the 10 mile is great!
That is a perfect collection of Twin Cities notables. Though for the next two months, I hear it is going to be “Spoonbridge and *No* Cherry”!
You are correct! The cherry is currently gone until January!
I am so jealous of the albino squirrels there! I’ve never seen one here, although I did see a black squirrel a few years ago which was a rare sighting. I only ran in MN once when I was there for a conference. I remember that I kept saying to myself how pretty it was!
Let me know if you’re ever back in town, would love to go for a run together to spot an Albino squirrel! 🙂
What a great place to run, Jessie!
This post made me check Wikipedia what exactly the “Twin Cities” are, so thank you for filling that knowledge gap. 🙂
Although it’s an urban area, you have a lot of nature to run in. And so much water, too! Would be ideal for a triathlon.
In the marathon photo – is that guy behind you running with a saber?
Minneapolis and St. Paul Minnesota! Though most of my running is Minneapolis only because that’s where I live.
Ha, yes, it does look like he’s carrying a saber!
Like Catrina, I also had to google Twin Cities! Really loved this post – and especially that spoon and cherry sculpture! So unique! I’ve always loved your sunset/sunrise photos – with those deep purple and pink colours!
Thank you Shathiso!
I’ve enjoyed your posts and pictures throughout the years of you running there. I could do a similar post for Chicago. I’ve also heard great things about the The Twin Cities Marathon. Kind of how I feel about marathon day here too (except it isn’t a holiday here).
Thank you for linking up with us!
You should do a similar post about Chicago, that would be fun!