Is your name Cooper River Bridge? Because you’ve been running through my mind all day.
No, seriously, we can’t stop thinking about the 49th annual race. So, until tens of thousands of people make their way from Mount Pleasant to downtown Charleston, we’ll take a trip down memory lane.
Here are a few of the most memorable moments over the past couple of decades:
1978 | The run was founded by Dr. Marcus Newberry — 766 finishers ran over the Silas Pearman Bridge.
1981 | First and only local overall winner, Mark Embler, finished in under 31 minutes.
1985 | Prize money was awarded for the first time.
1986 | The Marcus Newberry Award was established for the first male and female finishers from the Charleston area.
1994 | Oprah ran the race.
1997 | Actor, Bill Murray, fired the cannon for the start.
2002 | Genie Wellons became the first wheelchair athlete to compete in the Bridge Run.
2006 | The race crossed the new Arthur Ravenel Junior Bridge for the first time.
2019 | The race was awarded the Governor’s Cup Award (for impact on Tourism and Travel).
2020 | A virtual run replaced the regular race during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2023 | Overall Wheelchair Trophy was named in honor of “Genie” Wellons.
There’s still time to register for the quintessential Lowcountry experience.
