Cooper River Bridge 10K Run 2010

By: Jack Shannon

I’m usually don’t do 5K’s and 10K’s unless there is a swim and bike in front of them.  My training plan usually calls for more than a 3.1 or 6.2 mile run on Saturday, so just a 5K or 10K feels like it gets in the way of my training.  There is one notable exception: The Cooper River Bridge 10K Run.

What a blast this run is for me.  First, it’s HUGE.  38,000+ runners were there this year.  Most marathons don’t have that many runners.  I like big races like that.  The crowds make me feel like I’m really part of something big.  Second, it’s a great location.  Charleston is one of my favorite places.  So many sites to see, so many great restaurants to visit.  Last but not least, it is pretty nice to run a race hard and once you are done, you aren’t walking funny the rest of the weekend.

The run is a point-to-point race, so logistics are part of the package.  On race morning, there are school buses that shuttle you from the finish to near the start.  I say near, because you have a 1-2 mile walk to the start after the bus drops you off.  Once you get to the start, you have some waiting to do.  We had about an hour and a half to kill.  It was in the low 40’s that morning and we were dressed warmly, but with the wind blowing, we were cold.  We were huddling near a bank feeling homeless, then it was discovered there was an indoor ATM machine at the front of the bank.  Bingo!  We went in and waited it out from there.  About 10 minutes before the start, we put our outer wear in big bags and dropped them off at the “Sweat Shuttle”.  (After the race starts, your clothes are transported to the finish.)  We then slipped in towards the front and waited for the gun to go off.  When it did, I was able to run my race; thanks to our position towards the front.

The course is very flat, with one notable exception: The bridge.  The uphill starts at around 1.5 miles, the downhill starts around 2.5.  You are on flat ground again at mile four.  So in 6.2 miles, there is a significant one mile climb.  The good news is it’s early in the race; and you are defiantly not alone.

I ran the course in 47:37; good enough for a PR for me.  Thanks to my pacer Brian Poplin for the encouragement and companionship; and also for talking me into doing this race two years ago.

If you are thinking about doing the run in 2011 – do it!