MISSION
The Cooper River Bridge Run provides a world-class 10-K foot race. The race promotes continuous physical activity and a healthy lifestyle through education and opportunity.
VISION
The Cooper River Bridge Run is the best organized and the best conducted 10-K race in the world. It includes world-class competition in a unique setting with unparalleled participant satisfaction. It broadens community cooperation and participation in healthy events throughout the year. The Cooper River Bridge Run serves as a model of health motivation for other communities throughout the world.
OBJECTIVES
- Increase interest in cardiovascular exercise in the Community.
- Raise funds for public education on the importance of exercise.
- Generate a spirit of community involvement and volunteerism.
- Promote and publicize the Cooper River Bridge Run.
A History of The Cooper River Bridge Run
At 10A.M. on Sunday morning, April 2, 1978, the starting gun was fired for the First COOPER RIVER BRIDGE RUN and the race began. Even at that time it was successful beyond the organizers wildest expectations. Or was it? The first race entry form had this prophetic line just under the race name: ".....destined to become a legend".
Race director for the inaugural race, Keith Hamilton said that best part of the day for him was standing in the parking lot at Patriots Point after the race started and seeing the bridge covered with humanity. He said they had expected a maximum of 500 runners and that 340 had pre-registered. The $3.00 entry fee included a T-Shirt designed by the race director. There were only 4 awards categories in the first race, with merchanidse awards 3 deep in each. The categories were: open male, open female, masters male and masters female.
Race day morning was sweltering hot, but despite the 82 degree heat, another 600 or 700 runners registered. Olympian (1952, marathon) Ted Corbitt was one of the runners. A lot of runners fell out from the heat and some had to be hospitalized. In the early days of road racing there was a lot of debate as to whether water should be provided for runners on race courses and by committee vote there was none for the first Bridge Run.
Race day morning, after the race had begun, the police made the race officials move the finish line back about 150 yards, which made the course short. The race began at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, went across the reversible lane of the new bridge (use of the bridge had required legislation sponsored by State Senator Dewey Wise), went down Meeting Street to finish at White Point Gardens on the Battery. Read more on this and other years click here.
YEAR 2010 Cooper River Bridge Run Executive Committee
RACE FOUNDER W. Marcus Newberry, M.D., MUSC
TOWN OF MT. PLEASANT: Ken Ayoub, S McManus
THE CITADEL: Harry Davakos (Chairman), Dena Garner
MUSC: Peter Carek (Vice Chairman)
CHARLESTON COUNTY PARK & RECREATION: David Bennett, John Massey
CHARLESTON RUNNING CLUB: Larry Schrecker, Chuck Magera
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: William Barfield, Scooter Barnett
CITY OF CHARLESTON: Paul Wieters, Karen Hauck
