Amy Lauren Scott's Staging Area

In February, I ran the Run Oak Island 5K in Oak Island, NC. Although I ran the 5K, the race also offered a half and full marathon. It is a part of the BAM (Big Ass Medals) series, which includes three other races on the NC coast. This was my first time running a race in that series, and I was very impressed. The medals and swag are great- the medals are beautiful, and even the 5K has a finisher’s medal. The 5K finisher’s medal is not as big as the half marathon, but it is better and more colorful than many of my marathon medals. The shirts are colorful and soft cotton.

The 5K course itself was great- fairly no frills, but we had two aid stations. It was well marked and had plenty of volunteers. The starting times were staggered that people did not run into each other, which I liked, and all the races started on time. The after party had pizza and barbeque for refreshments, along with post-race beer.

This race was on President’s Day weekend, and with many people having that Monday off work, it’s a great destination race to visit North Carolina for. The weather during that time of year is perfect for a half or full marathon and great if you are coming from a colder climate and want a break from the weather.

2017 was my first year running the Savannah Women’s Half Marathon races, but hopefully it won’t be the last. This race is in its third year and did a great job. I hoped to run the half, but due to an injury had to switch to the 5K in the weeks before the race. I like that two distances are offered because that makes this race perfect no matter what your goals are. Both races included the same swag and finisher’s medals.

This was my first women’s race and a great experience. The race environment was very supportive of ladies of all ability levels. Men could also run, but were not eligible for awards. The men who did run were very respectful and the ladies were respectful back. At one point on the half course, there is an out and back section and the runners cheer for each other.

The course is beautiful and perfect for your first race or for a PR. It’s flat and fast and runs through some beautiful areas of Savannah. The finish is in Forsyth Park in front of the fountain, which is a perfect backdrop for photos- and a fun place to hang out post race.

The Savannah Women’s Half would be perfect for a girl’s weekend in Savannah, or if you’re a local looking for a well-organized race.

The Cocoa Cup 5K, presented by Fleet Feet Sports and Nexton, is the largest 5K race in Summerville. I ran this race in 2014 and again in 2015, and both years had registration caps.

The 2014 race was well-produced. While the course was very boring and through an undeveloped neighborhood, the race was well staffed with enough refreshments and great age group and overall awards. In 2015, the number of registrations was raised to 2,000, and I don’t think the race was ready for that. The hot chocolate was not hot or ready for runners when we finished, runners experienced traffic and parking issues, and the races age group awards were not as nice as 2014 (pint glass).

The pros are that the course is flat and fast, as it is an out and back with few turns. The swag is a Nike hoodie and really nice, and all finishers get a mug for the hot chocolate as a finisher’s gift. I also liked that the race packet was a reuseable shopping bag.

I hope that the race returns each year, but it should probably have fewer participants and managed so that slower runners do not miss out on cocoa or refreshments.

I ran the Florence Turkey Trot in 2015 when I was in town visiting relatives. It is a small but growing race, and offers both 5K and 10K options. I opted for the 5K, but I haven’t seen a 10K turkey trot, so that was interesting (I guess those runners can eat twice as many helpings of Thanksgiving dinner).

The race itself is very no-frills. The only swag was a t-shirt, which is cotton, but it is blue with a fun design. The age group and overall awards were medals, and it’s a very fun medal with a turkey running from a train, since Florence is a railroad town. The refreshments were very simple- fruit, water, cookies, and crackers. No free beer or drinks, and I guess you don’t need many refreshments at a Turkey Trot since most people will eat dinner later that day.

While I did not run the 10K, it seemed to have some issues. I believe a turn was missed on the course because a sign blew down. A friend and I spectated most of us, and the person we thought would win (who led most of the race) did not and had a much lower than expected time. The only issue I personally experienced was that the water stations had bottled water instead of cups, so there were bottles on the ground as well as caps that you had to run around.

This could be a really great race- hopefully the course issue is worked out for the 10K. There were a LOT of turns on that course. I think having only a 5K option would work, though.

I ran this race again in 2015. It was rescheduled from Oct. 10 to Nov. 14 due to flooding back in October, but the race organizers did their best to accommodate runners. They offered to transfer registrations to others or a 50% off discount for 2016 for those who could not run. I was able to run the race, so I did. It is a fairly small race, but has great course support with about 6 total water stops and one with gels/gu.

The race course is the most difficult half marathon on the SC coast. There are 3 bridges and you run over each bridge twice. The bridge at mile 11 is no joke and got me, that was my slowest mile.

The organizers are great to work with and very responsive on Facebook (and nice in real life). They care a lot about their community, charities, and putting on a quality event in a small town. Georgetown does not have very many road races, so I’m glad they bring a really good one to an area that needs more health and fitness oriented events. That is one reason I keep supporting their race and repeating it.

The swag was pretty good this year. Everyone got a tech shirt or a choice of a long-sleeved cotton shirt. You also got a bandana with the course map and a place where you could write your finish time. The bibs were nice and had your name on them, which is always a nice touch. Every runner got a finisher’s medal, whether you did the 5K, 12K, or half marathon, and the age group and overall winners got additional medals. The medals are very nice and high-quality. There is an after party with a band and also one free beer per runner.

This is also a good half marathon to run as a training run if you are running a hilly full marathon.

The Cooper River Bridge Run is a race that Charleston residents love to hate. It is expensive, and it brings tourists to our city to run a bridge that we can run any time on the pedestrian lane. I do run it on a regular basis but participated in the race for the first time this year.

I had a great race. I was able to start in the competitive corral (45 minute 10K) so I did not experience a crowd at the start. If you are not in Corral A, the competitive corral, or the elite (sub 40) corral, it is very crowded. Spectators line the streets of Mt Pleasant and downtown, so I felt like an elite with so many people cheering for us.

This year’s race was very well produced, but in years past, there have been late starts. Also, free beer after the race has been eliminated in favor of a free beer at the race expo (who wants a beer at the expo?). The shirts are cotton.

Locals may not like the run, but it defines Charleston as a running community. So many people start running due to the CRBR and many *do* keep running. Running or walking over the bridge in this race is a bucket list item for many people. It’s something every local should do at least once, but it’s up to you if you want to do it more than that. It was fun for me but not a must-do.

I participated in the 10K and 5K this year. The race was set up to where runners could do both, with the 10K at 8:15 and the 5K at 9:30 (although a few 10Kers were still on the course when the 5K began). The 10K is basically running the 5K course twice, but the course itself is easy. IT IS NOT CERTIFIED but it is correct.

This year, everyone got finisher’s “dog tags” with the race’s mascot, which is a dog named Chance the Donor Dog. I thought this was a nice touch for everyone to receive something. The shirt was also a tech shirt and is nice.

This race is a great option for a local 10K, as it’s one of the few that’s flat, and a good tune-up before the bridge run. The cause is great and it is a good one for beginners. The top finishers receive cash prizes, so the top times are fast. I didn’t care for the excessive promotion of the cash prizes on Facebook, as I believe they could attract more runners by promoting the finisher’s “dog tags” medals, tech shirts, etc. Only a few runners will ever win money. I also feel like 5 year age groups would have been better for a race this size. There is a big difference in a 30 year old runner and a 39 year old runner (as well as 40-49). The field is already fast due to the cash prize so there’s little chance for an age grouper in other races to win an age group award here.

Age group awards were nice- medals and gift cards to a local running store. There was one water stop on the course but it was a cold day so that was enough.

I’ve participated in the Charleston Half Marathon for the past 3 years, and it’s one of my favorite local races. It is flat and fast, with a good crowd of runners and volunteers. The half marathon course is excellent and you will always be around other runners, but the full marathon course is not as scenic and goes through a lot of neighborhoods. I highly recommend the half marathon, though- especially the first 6 miles which are through downtown Charleston.

The race is for a good cause- arts in the schools. The expo does not have a ton of vendors or races, but it’s worth going just to see the art that the students have on display. You can pick up your packet the day of the race if you can’t make the expo, which is a huge advantage for anyone travelling whose flight gets in when the expo is over, or someone who wants to drive in the morning of.

For what you pay for the race, you get a good deal. It includes a long-sleeved tech shirt and finisher’s medal. The finish line has good refreshments (Shrimp and grits) and each runner gets 2 beer tickets if you are over 21. You can purchase more. There are bands at the finish and they do give awards, 5-year age groups.

Check the race’s Facebook page for discounts. They periodically have sales around the holidays where they post percent-off codes or run a special.

Now, in 2015, there was a SNAFU and the course was about .1 long. Not much, but just enough to anger those who were hoping to BQ. This could have been a PR mess, but the organizers handled it so well, offering a 20% off discount for the next year to all runners, as well as posting adjusted/corrected times about a week later. My time dropped a little over a minute. The course was not very much longer (I had 13.24 on my watch) and I barely noticed, but they went out of their way to make sure runners were happy.

The JICR is one of the most beautiful but most difficult courses in Charleston. The views are incredible and the race production improves each year. They have recently started giving finisher’s medals, which is a nice touch for a 5K and 10K. The post race party has lots of refreshments as well as free beer, and the age group awards are very nice each year. The overall winners receive money which brings a lot of faster runners out.

It is harder than the Cooper River Bridge run, course wise, because the course has multiple inclines and is all run on the connector, which is a hard surface. However, the race is open to all, including stroller runners, those with dogs, and it is walker friendly. The 5K is point to point with a bus that returns you to the start, and the 10K is an out and back.

I would highly recommend this race because it is one of my favorites in Charleston. It’s not a PR course, but it is beautiful and a great race to use for training if you have a hilly race coming up.

The Mullet Haul trail run is held each March on John’s Island, which is near Charleston, SC. Charleston County Parks & Recreation hosts this run and they do a great job. The price is lower if you are a county resident (always nice to save), but this year, they offered a deal on one of those daily deals sites, which was another great touch. Racing a lot gets expensive.

For the cost, this race was well worth it. For a small local race, you got a great tech shirt- including a women’s cut for the ladies. Everyone is encouraged to wear a mullet (fake or real… I guess if you’re into getting a mullet just for this race), flannel shirts, cutoffs, and other country/redneck looking clothes. They also have a costume contest- which is fun, it makes it more like an event than a competition. Runners also got a fun “Mullet on the go” headband.

The after party had free beer, soup, macaroni and cheese, bread pudding, and the typical race refreshments. The awards were also great (winners got a “red solo cup” trophy), and they had a band and photo booth.

Another touch: I think it’s the only 5 mile/10 mile run in the Charleston area, so if you’re local… it’s a good chance for an instant PR

I ran the IOP Connector Run 5K last year (2014) and volunteered in 2013. It’s a very large, popular local race with a beautiful view of the intercoastal waterway. The race is an out and back, over the connector (the 10K goes out further, but the connector is only one incline). Awards last year were medals, but top finishers received cash prizes. They do awards for masters and grand masters as well. First-timers and walkers are also welcomed, and the timing of the race draws a lot of people who do Couch to 5K to prepare.

One highlight of this race was free photography from Tag Your Pix. The connector run has a beautiful course and views, and it was nice to get free pictures. They post them on Facebook about a week later and you can tag yourself or others tag you. I do wish they posted them online somewhere because not everyone uses Facebook, but if you do, keep this in mind.

The only downside to the race, to me, is the cost. Each year the cost increases a bit and they don’t seem to offer many discounts. You get a tech shirt, but even then, $40 for a 5K is a bit much. You do get unlimited beer at the finish and that draws a lot of runners.

I ran this race in its inaugural year. It was my first and so far only marathon, and it was such a terrible experience that I have had no desire to run a marathon since. The race was held in late September that year, which is a poor time for a marathon anyway. It turned out to be a very warm day, so I got sunburnt on the course and ended up walking much of the last 6 miles.

Course support was very poor. Many of the volunteers left the course, and no one in the area knew a marathon was occurring. The organizers put up a few encouraging signs, but they were all at the beginning of the race, not in the end where we really needed them. The roads were open to traffic, including some very busy roads with 18-wheeler trucks speeding by. The aid stations that had volunteers, however, had encouraging volunteers and were well stocked with Gu and water.

The finish line was the worst part of this race. I finished in just over 4 hours, which is a mid-pack time with plenty of runners still on the course. When I finished, the race had no food left. The half marathoners, 10Kers, and 5Kers ate everything and they did not replenish. I also found out that the food offered was Chicken Noodle Soup. The organizers got this idea from the Myrtle Beach Marathon, which is held in February. I don’t eat meat, so if food was available, I could not have eaten Chicken Noodle Soup- nor was it appropriate for a race in September.

I would not recommend this race at all. Several other NASCAR-themed races such as Thunder Road in NC are more successful and much better directed. This race could have good potential for NASCAR fans but no one seems to care much about making it a good race for runners.

I ran the Bridge 2 Bridge half marathon in 2012 and am running it again in 2015. It is a small local race but the town rallies around it and supports the runners. The course had plenty of volunteers and adequate water as well as gels at Mile 7. It is not an easy course, so don’t count on a PR here, and since it is a small race, the course does not have a bunch of spectators. The organizers are very active on social media, responding to runners’ questions and comments, and you can tell they really want people to run their race and put a lot of effort into it.

The finisher’s medal is one of the nicer ones I’ve received, especially from a small race. The race has also gone to tech shirts in recent years. My favorite part of the swag was a 13.1 oval sticker with the race name on it.