It’s happening! After a year and a half of anticipation, postponement, and uncertainty, the Cooper River Bridge Run is quickly approaching.
When I first moved to Charleston a year ago, I was eager to experience the hubbub and festivities of the Cooper River Bridge Run. As the third-largest 10K race in the United States and attended by runners from across the world, the race was definitely high on my bucket list. Plus, there is the added benefit that the finish line is in the heart of downtown Charleston, surrounded by all the yummy food!
While the IDEA of Bridge Run is intriguing, actually accomplishing the feat of running up the Ravenel Bridge is much more daunting. It’s hot. It’s humid. And it’s uphill. Luckily, Fleet Feet Mount Pleasant and Fleet Feet Summerville stores are leading training programs to help get over that bridge and have fun while doing it.
The training, which starts at the end of July, provides a 10-week program that consists of written workouts to do on your own throughout the week, along with two in-person sessions per week -- one track workout to focus on getting speedier and one long run that will build up in mileage to running those 6.2 miles happily and injury-free.
To learn more about the benefit of training with Fleet Feet, I wanted to get to know some of the coaches who will be leading the training programs.
Doug Anderson, Mount Pleasant Coach
Training philosophy: Believe in consistent training plans and surrounding yourself with others who can push you. I’ve always gotten better by chasing someone!
What makes the Bridge Run such a special race to train for?: I love the challenge of racing the bridge and pushing up such a tall task. It tests your endurance to keep racing even once you’ve made it to the top. I’ve only run the race twice but am looking forward to tackling it again!
What is unique about training with Fleet Feet?: I love group training because the sport of running attracts such positive people. Everyone is out there to improve as well as help see you improve. I’ve trained and coached with Fleet Feet since 2014 and have made such great friends and relationships over the years.
Emily Scott, Mount Pleasant Coach
Running history: I started running when I was about 14 and have continued to do it ever since! Running has and continues to bring a lot of peace and joy to my life. So, I'm looking forward to experiencing that with you all as we train for the bridge run! A fun fact about me is I'm the pub run coordinator for our Mt. Pleasant store!
Training Philosophy: Pace yourself and ROLL YOUR CALVES
What makes the Bridge Run such a special race to train for?:
When I first did the Bride Run, I was so inspired by all the people who all shared the same goal of getting over the bridge. And all the music, food and fun activities they have after the finish line.
What is unique about training with Fleet Feet?
I find that running with a group always keeps me accountable to keep showing up. The community at Fleet Feet is so welcoming so you're gonna have a fun time with us. We're going to get you over that bridge and we're gonna have a blast training for it!
Justin Hart, Summerville Coach
Running history: I’ve been running on and off for 27 years since high school but really hadn’t done much running due to people telling me it was bad for my knees. Those same (non-runner) people now have bad knees, bulging discs, or other health concerns from living a sedentary lifestyle. I decided to go for some running performance goals about 3 years ago and plan to continue running until all that’s left of my knees are nubs.
Training philosophy: I’ve been employed with Fleet Feet for about 2 years and have been a coach for a year now. My coaching philosophy is running consistently makes you faster.
What makes the Bridge Run such a special race to train for? The bridge run is one of the largest 10k races in the U.S. that brings in runners from all over the world. To be a part of that atmosphere is amazing! The last time I ran the race was in 1995 on the old bridge. I have always had to work the event in the years prior so I’m excited to finally be able to run it.
What is unique about training with Fleet Feet?: The benefit of training with a group depends on the person. If you lack the motivation to train on your own, we’re here for you to hold you accountable. The relationships we build during the training programs last beyond the finish line. If you lack the knowledge or have difficulty trying to find the “correct” way to run, we’ve got you. Training with Fleet Feet specifically has a handful of special perks such as a gear-up discount, discounted race entries, a structured training program with proven success, and eh hmm…. me. Just kidding, our mentors who are prior participants make the training fun!
Whether this Bridge Run will be your first or your fiftieth, whether you’re aiming for a new PR or to just finish, come train with us! Sign up below for more information on times and pricing.
https://www.fleetfeet.com/s/mountpleasant/training/bridge-run-training
See you soon!
Erin Rasmussen - Fleet Feet Mt. Pleasant Fit Specialist
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