I am often questioned as to why I choose to run races in cities around the country and not simply rely on races close to where I live.  My normal response is that it gives me a chance to explore somewhere I have never been or return to a location I wish to revisit.  This past weekend I made my way to Minneapolis, Minnesota to run the Twin Cities Marathon (full race recap can be found here).  It was my first time in Minnesota and I did not know what to expect.  I recalled scenes from the movie Fargo and the very distinctive accents spoken throughout the film.  I was eager to touch down in the Twin Cities and experience that accent for myself.  Truth be told, during my 3 days in Minnesota, I only heard one person speak in the stereotypical Fargo accent.

After landing at the Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport, we made our first of many trips across the Mississippi River to St. Paul.  After checking in for the race, we decided to have lunch at Eagle Street Grille.  Within walking distance of the Xcel Energy Center, this was a convenient location to grab a quick meal and sample my first locally brewed beer.

After lunch, we returned to our car and crossed back over the Mississippi River into Minneapolis.  We checked into The Hotel Minneapolis, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection.  Upon first entering the hotel, I was struck by the marble columns and ornately tiled floor that led past a decorative waterfall to the front desk.  Off to the side were plush chairs for relaxing and a set of doors that led to a restaurant.  It did not resemble Marriott hotels I had seen in the past.  As we made our way to the elevators, we noticed a large vault door that you’d expect to see in a bank.  The door was open so it was clearly a decorative piece and no longer served the purpose it was originally installed for.  According to The Hotel Minneapolis’s website, the building originally housed a number of banks from the 19th century until it was converted in 2007.  Our room, located on the 5th floor, had 2 queen beds, a large bathroom and more than enough room to move around.  The Hotel Minneapolis is conveniently located within walking distance of numerous restaurants, bars, the homes of professional sports teams, and the metro rail-line that can transport you to attractions further away.

After settling into our room and unpacking our belongings, we walked to Mission American Kitchen & Bar for a light dinner.  As we made our way to the restaurant, I noticed above ground tunnels that connected the various buildings.  From what I hear, these were constructed for people to escape the harsh winter conditions when the temperatures drop and the snow begins to fall.  After finishing our meals, we walked back to our hotel and called it an early night as we both had a marathon to complete the following morning.

After a grueling 4+ hours of running through the streets of the Twin Cities, we took the shuttle back to The Hotel Minneapolis.  After relaxing for a little while, we decided to walk in no particular direction until we found a bar to further celebrate our accomplishments from earlier in the morning.  Only blocks from our hotel and close to Target Field, the home of the Minnesota Twins, we stopped in Mason’s Restaurant Barre.  The Twins played a home game that afternoon so the crowd inside Mason’s was busy yet not to the point where we couldn’t find seats.  A couple hours and ceremonial beers later, we walked back to the hotel.

The next morning, on a recommendation from a friend, we hobbled our way to Hell’s Kitchen for an early breakfast.  Long a staple of the Minneapolis eating scene, Hell’s Kitchen moved from their original building to their present location on South 9th Street.  According to our waiter, this relocation almost tripled their square footage and there was some early concern if they would attract the clientele to fill the increased space.  The prior tenant was a steakhouse and the owners of Hell’s Kitchen decided to keep much of the wood decor.  They also have 2 full bars, a stage for bands to perform throughout the week and are able to host private parties.  We ate breakfast in the Minnesota-themed room.  The walls were adorned with original photographs of Minnesota sites taken by Minnesotans, in addition to common phrases heard throughout the state.

After breakfast we returned to our hotel, packed up our
belongings and brainstormed local attractions
as our flights leaving Minneapolis were not until later that afterrnoon.  We decided to explore The Cathedral of Saint Paul and The Basilica of Saint Mary, the first Basilica in the United States.  We chose
these as there wouldn’t be much walking involved and were within short driving distance of our hotel.  Later that morning we walked from St. Paul to Minneapolis using the Stone Arch Bridge which provided an excellent vantage point of the St. Anthony Dam.  Built in 1883, the Stone Arch Bridge originally housed two railroad tracks that ferried riders into downtown Minneapolis.  The tracks have since been removed and the bridge is now a popular walking, running, and cycling route.

After lunch at Salut Bar Americain in St. Paul, we drove to the Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport and waited for our flights to return us to our respective destinations.  I thoroughly enjoyed by weekend in the Twin Cities. It was a perfect time of year to visit as the temperature had yet to plummet, I completed my 2nd marathon and was able to explore a new city all in the span of three days.

With The Twin Cities Marathon behind me, I now turn all attention to my round-the-world adventure that begins in 4 short weeks.  There are still many things on the to-do list for this excursion and not much time to complete them.  Stay tuned for updates…