Every April, Charleston plays hosts to thousands of visitors from across the country with one thing in common: getting over it (the Ravenel Bridge that is). The Cooper River Bridge Run has been a major event for Charleston since the first race in 1978 was organized as a promotion for community wellness. Since then, the reach of the Bridge Run mission has grown substantially, establishing itself as one of the largest 10K races in the United States. While the Bridge Run attracts runners from all over, it’s an event that celebrates the city, it’s residents, and one of it’s foremost icons. To me, “getting over it” is rite of passage marking your initiation as a Charleston resident, so as soon as I registered I began training for the 6.2 mile course I would contend with on April 5.
As a graduate student, it can be difficult to appropriate enough time each day dedicated to running. There are a multitude of other tasks that compete for my attention between classes, work, and other obligations, so I organized a training plan for my running much in the same way that I organize my academic calendar. My training plan helped to keep me on the right track to accomplish my goal of completing the Bridge Run. In all my running around town, I discovered new parts of Charleston that I had never seen before. With each increase in mileage I became more acquainted with this beautiful city. I’m looking forward to this Saturday to “get over” the Cooper River with 30,000 other runners celebrating the Charleston community!
For more information on the 37th Annual Cooper River Bridge Run, click here.
