Tacoma, Washington
Friday, May 3rd - Monday, May 6th
The 'annual' Marathon Maniacs reunion race was scheduled for Tacoma, Washington in 2013; coupled with the fact that it was the first weekend in May, the biggest race weekend of the year by our estimation, and it was pretty much a no-brainer that we headed out for the run and festivities! (it was also a good Christmas present from me to Jill :-) ). Flew out on Friday and then drove from SeaTac down to Tacoma. Looking for some lunch on Friday we found Engine House No. 9, an old fire station converted into a brew pub. After lunch it was off to the Hotel Murano, host hotel for the Tacoma City Marathon as well as the Maniacs festivities. Friday night we had tickets to the Tacoma Rainiers game - very nice ballpark (so nice we would make a return visit on Sunday as well!). Before the game, however, we stumbled into one of the coolest dive bar hole in the walls we have ever been to - the Lucky Silver Tavern! Very friendly people to sit and talk with (only sorry we didn't get back later in the weekend!).
On Saturday we did a bit of sightseeing around Tacoma including a stop at the home of Almond Roca as well as the Emerald Queen Casino. In the evening, we were supposed to go to the Maniac pasta dinner; unfortunately a bit of ill planning shut many of us out. Instead, we ended up at The Old Spaghetti Factory, a short walk from the Hotel Murano. As an added bonus, Carey and Peter Oliphant were there waiting for a table as well and invited us to have dinner with them! Very nice time sitting and chatting with both of them!
Sunday we experienced probably one of the most scenic courses we have ever run, starting at the Tacoma Narrows Airport and then making our way across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, finishing behind the Tacoma Art Museum - definitely a beautiful course with friendly runners and spectators alike along the way. Post race, we headed back to the hotel and decided we had time to....go to another Rainiers game!
Monday brought another cross-country marathon jaunt as we made our way from Tacoma to Syracuse and then finally back to Binghamton.