New route, new event announced for Governor’s Cup Road Race in Columbia
Several changes are coming to the 44th Annual Governor’s Cup Road Race in Columbia, including a new date, a new course and a new Main Street Mile that will take place the night before the race.
The Governor’s Cup begins at 7 a.m. May 14 and includes a kids’ fun run, a 5K and a half marathon.
Related content: View course maps
The Governor’s Cup half marathon will be the final leg of a Triple Crown in collaboration with the Run Hard and Palmetto Half Marathons.
The new courses are designed to pass many of the notable sites and attractions in Columbia. The first three miles of the courses for the 5K and half marathon races are identical and pass Columbia’s historic Main Street, S.C. State House, Woodrow Wilson Family Home, The Township , Robert Mills House and Gardens, Hampton-Preston House and Gardens, Seibels House and Garden, Mann-Simons Site, the Governor’s Mansion and the Vista.
From there, the half marathon heads toward Cayce and West Columbia, passing by the S.C. State Museum, EdVenture, Gervais Street Bridge, Guignard Brick Works, Blossom Street Bridge, University of South Carolina, Shandon, Five Points, and the S.C. Capitol Complex before finishing at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
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The new Main Street Mile will start near the corner of Main and Laurel streets, heading south on Main to a turn-around at Lady Street, then returning to finish near the start. This course takes the runners by Columbia Museum of Art as it hosts its popular quarterly event, Arts & Draughts.
Twenty-five Spirit Corps groups will be set up at every half mile to generate community and spectator enthusiasm, encourage the runners as they make their way along the course and compete for monetary prizes. Spirit Corps groups can include sign displays, drummers, dancers and more to keep the runners and spectators motivated and entertained.
The race is put on by the Columbia Regional Sports Council in concert with Carolina Marathon Association and Lexington Medical Center.
Register for the race here. Participants can pick up race packets or register late at the Hilton Columbia Center in the Vista from 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. May 13.
For other details, see www.governorscupsc.org
This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 2:13 PM with the headline "New route, new event announced for Governor’s Cup Road Race in Columbia."