2 Mar Popular races return to Georgetown as Bridge2Bridge 5K and 12K On your mark, get set, GO! The Historic Georgetown Bridge2Bridge Run is returning to Georgetown on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® after a two-year hiatus during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a 5K run/walk and 12K race. The 2023 races are set for Saturday, March 25, with the 12K race starting at 7:30 a.m. and the 5K race starting at 7:45 a.m., both from the starting line at the historic Town Clock on Front Street at the intersection with Screven Street. This is the 10th time Bridge2Bridge has been held in Georgetown. The Bridge 2 Bridge Run is for people of all ages. This photo shows runners on the Siau Bridge over the Waccamaw River (Photo courtesy of Bridge 2 Bridge Committee) The designated charity for this year’s event is Friendship Place, which works to provide people with the opportunity to overcome crises and work toward self-sufficiency. For more than 20 years, Friendship Place has fed the hungry, provided job readiness training, and worked to meet the unmet needs of the Georgetown County community. Proceeds from the event will be used to cover Friendship Place’s general operating expenses. South Carolina’s Hammock Coast is serving as the Bridge2Bridge Diamond Sponsor. Charlie Ball, executive director of Friendship Place, is the main organizer for the Bridge 2 Bridge Run. He said he and other organizers are looking forward to a successful event this year. “We are all so excited the race is back,” Ball said. “Both events show off the beauty of the Hammock Coast and, especially, Georgetown.” He said that the Bridge2Bridge Run is partnering with the South Carolina Maritime Museum in Georgetown for the race packet pickup at the museum and the after-race activities at Maritime Park next door to the museum, including a beer garden, entertainment, and the awards ceremony. Ball said he’s glad that the Maritime Museum is holding its annual Burning of the Sox event on Friday, March 24, during packet pick-up. “What a great way to show off all the great things going on in Georgetown,” he said. “We really hope all of the locals and the out-of-towners will stop by.” Many young runners participate in the 5K run/walk through the city. (Photo courtesy of the Bridge 2 Bridge Committee) Course Description The 12K & 5K routes, which are both USA Track and Field certified courses, will start and finish in the hub of the city on Front Street in historic Georgetown. After gliding past Georgetown’s eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, and historic landmarks, including the famous Clock Tower at the Rice Museum, the course quickly transitions into the East Bay Park area where runners will be greeted by views of Winyah Bay. As participants circle the park, off in the distance they will get their first glimpse of the two bridges that cross the Black and Waccamaw rivers. Upon leaving East Bay Park, the course takes runners through a residential area, showcasing Georgetown’s signature tree-lined streets and beautiful Lowcountry architecture. 5K runners will continue through the historic district and cross the finish line on Front Street at Francis Marion Park. Runners pressing on in the 12K will proceed onto US Highway 17 where their next immediate focus will be to cross Georgetown’s gateway bridges. This early morning race will surely provide amazing panoramic sunrise views of Winyah Bay, with Hobcaw Barony creating a splendid natural background. Runners on the bridges will feel safe and secure as the traffic will travel in a single lane on the south bound side of Hwy 17 for miles 2-6. Intersections of the downtown roads will be staffed with police and volunteers. This early morning race will surely provide amazing panoramic sunrise views of Winyah Bay, with Hobcaw Barony creating a splendid natural background. (Photo courtesy of the Bridge 2 Bridge Committee) Registration Registration cost for the 12K race is $70 until the day of the event, with onsite registration being $75. For the 5K run/walk, registration is $50 until the day of the event, with onsite registration being $55. Runners can pick up packets on Friday, March 24, from 5-8 p.m. at the Maritime Museum located at 729 Front St. in Georgetown. There are three ways to register for the Bridge2Bridge Run. For online registration, click here. Register at packet pick-up on Friday, March 24, from 5-8 p.m. at the Maritime Museum. Register the day of the event at Maritime Park in the packet pick-up area from 6:30-7:15 a.m. Finish Line and Awards After the race, a beer garden will be in Maritime Park with beers provided by a local brewery for $5 each. Runners over the age of 21 will receive one complimentary ticket. Go Race Productions will be timing the event this year. Awards will be presented at Maritime Park at 9 a.m. for the 5K race, and 9:45 a.m. for the 12K race. Award categories are as follows: Overall Male & Female 1st, 2nd & 3rd for the 5K & 12K Master Male & Female 1st, 2nd & 3rd for the 5K &12K 5K – 1st, 2nd & 3rd M/F (13 and under, 14-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, over 70) 12K – 1st, 2nd & 3rd M/F (under 20, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, over 70) These two runners proudly show their awards after the race. (Photo courtesy of the Bridge 2 Bridge Committee) Volunteers needed The Historic Georgetown Bridge2Bridge 12K and 5K race committee said the success of this race is contingent upon volunteer assistance. Volunteers will be needed to assist with pre-race registration, course set-up and various tasks on race day. Activities include: course setup and logistics water aid station support traffic control on-course timing and directions information station support start/finish line assistance Following the completion of the race, volunteers will be needed to assist with: taking down water aid stations taking down start/finish lines litter cleanup along course assisting with post-race festivities About the Hammock Coast Georgetown County’s casual charm and Southern hospitality earned it the nickname Hammock Coast. Adventure and relaxation blend together in perfect harmony, like the flowing and ebbing of waves on the county’s famed beaches. With six communities – southern Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach, Pawleys Island, Georgetown and Andrews – comprising the pristine coastal area between Myrtle Beach and Charleston, visitors can experience South Carolina’s Hammock Coast like never before. For more information about the Bridge2Bridge Run, click here. By Clayton Stairs / tourism manager for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® 0 Georgetown, Hammock-All
