Hamilton: Bridge 10K for runners worth the effort
MY WIFE, MIRIAM Freeman, and I made the trip to Mount Pleasant so we could stand in the dark and cold for two hours awaiting the 8 a.m. starting gun for the 38th Annual Cooper River Bridge Run 10K.
This year there seems to be a question about whether the race might have reached its peak. There were 40,000 participants expected, but 32,959 registered; 27,318 finished.
The Bridge beckons no matter your age. Miriam finished 41st of 247 in women 65-69, 17.30 minutes slower than her 1978 time. I was 107th out of 159 in the 70-74 age group. At about 2 miles, a runner with a prosthetic leg passed me and tapped me on the shoulder and gave me a thumbs up. I had no choice but to finish after that.
Some other S.C. runners of note: Eric Ashton, 45-49, 1st, 32:46; Marc Embler, 55-59, 1st, 36:51; Bob Schlau, 65-69, 51:29; Sallie Driggers, 60-64, 1st, 46:45; Betty Mandell, 75-79, 4th, 1:38:29; William Boulter, 80+, 1st, 1:09:42; Jane Gregorie, 80+, 1st, 1:14:48.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SATURDAY
COLUMBIA: 8 a.m. Quarry Crusher Run, 3.72 Miles/7.44 Miles Double Crusher. INFO: jaime@eggplantevents.com.
COLUMBIA: 8 a.m. Sparkleberry Fair Cancer Awareness 5K. (803) 348-2539.
FORT MILL: 8 a.m. Earthshaker 5K Trail Run. (803) 547-3273.
LEXINGTON: 7 a.m. Super Hero 5K for Jullian’s Cure. (803) 979-3258.
LEXINGTON: 7:30 a.m. White Knoll Patriot Run 5K. (803) 785-4475.
ROCK HILL: Come-See-Me Road Races: Half-Marathon, 7 a.m.; 5K 7:45 a.m. (803) 324-7920.
SENECA: 9 a.m. Chick-fil-A 5K Challenge. (864) 885-9023.
SIMPSONVILLE: 8:14 a.m. Kelley’s Kure 8K & 5K. (864) 979-6432.
SUMTER: 9 a.m. Recovery Road Race 10K & 5K. (803) 436-2640.
TURBEVILLE: 9 a.m. The Puddin’ Swamp 5K. (803) 799-4786.
APRIL 25
COLUMBIA: 8:30 a.m. Lexington Med. Center Women’s Heart & Sole 5-Miler Run & Walk. (803) 731-2100.
AIKEN: 7:30 a.m. Run United Half-Marathon; 8 a.m. 5K. (803) 649-6245.
BOILING SPRINGS: 9 a.m. Chopsticks 5K. (864) 578-1288.
CLEMSON: 7:30 a.m. The Color Run 5K. (386 ) 503-1341.
EASLEY: 10 a.m. Run for 51 Minutes. (864) 397-3959.
PELION: 10 a.m. BARE Nothing Butt Kolor 5K. (704) 880-4561.
RAVENEL: 8:30 a.m. Where the Wild Things Run 5K. (843) 795-4386.
TRAVELERS REST: 7:15 a.m. Trailblazer Half-Marathon; 7:15 a.m. TR 10K; Earth Day 5K 8 a.m.(864) 202-2470.
WINNSBORO: 8 a.m. April 25-26 BattleFrog Obstacle Race Series 15K, 5K, 1Mi. 400m. INFO: info@battlefrogseries.com.
APRIL 30
CHARLESTON: 6:30 P.M. iFive:K, 5K. INFO: info@ifivek.com.
CHARLESTON: 6:30 P.M. Bulldog Breakaway 5K Twilight Series. (843) 708-9618.
MAY 1
CHARLESTON: 7 a.m. MayDay Marathon; Half-Marathon 9:00 a.m. INFO: runwithosr@gmail.com.
TRAVELERS REST: 6:30 P.M. GHS Swamp Rabbit 5K. (864) 797-7531.
MAY 2
MOUNT PLEASANT: 8 a.m. Hibben UMC Family Fun Run 5K. (843) 270-1161.
FLORENCE: 8 a.m. Run For Brighter Days 10K & 5K. (843) 229-4235.
GREENVILLE: 9 a.m. Run For Nicaragua 5K. (864) 244-4524.
LUGOFF: 8 a.m. Able Club of SC Race to the Press Box 5K. (803) 466-1948.
ORANGEBURG: 7:30 a.m. Festival of Roses 12K; 7:30 a.m. 5K. (803) 407-0179.
SPARTANBURG: 9 a.m. Young Life Spartanburg County 5K. (864) 582-3592.
SPARTANBURG: 8:15 a.m. Commit To Be Fit 5K. (843) 642-0519
MAY 7
CHARLESTON: 6 P.M. Race the Landing 5K. (843) 244-7878.
This story was originally published April 15, 2015 at 11:46 PM with the headline "Hamilton: Bridge 10K for runners worth the effort."