It's Race Week

It's Bridge Run Week! Are you in?! If you are, our Coleman shop will be open at 6am on race day for your last minute needs.

Insider Tip: Make sure you're sporting your Blue Sky gear on race day! Blue Sky gear gets you a Fast Pass to the front of the bathroom line. (No really, there will be bouncers to make sure you get your well deserved front of the line status!)

Stop in to stay warm, cool, stay hydrated and grab some good race day vibes!

From the Coaches Corner

Race Day Tips

to make your Bridge Run 2023

one to post about!

Tips from Coach Ray

If you're COMPETING for a PR (Personal Record)

• run first 2mi Easy by feel
• work HARD up The Bridge to top of hill
• lean into hill
• use your arms
• pick up knees on the frontside of the bridge to generate ground reaction force
• on backside shorten stride and quicken cadence
• exhale
• use 4th mile downhill to slingshot home with comfortably hard pace (by feel)
• use spectator cheers to maintain that pace
• pick off runners in front of you -  reel 'em in and roll 'em up
• start "kicking" with 800m to go
• as always, factor for temperature and dew point and draft if windy
• embrace the Garden of Discomfort 
• enjoy the journey 

If you're NOT competing

 > enjoy the journey

Tips from Coach Traci

My tips for the bridge run…

• Be confident and start in the front of your corral.
• Know what you are capable of and don’t let your pace get away from you in the first few miles.
• When you are running up the hill, keep in mind that the fatigue you are feeling is not forever. Think of a mantra to repeat, make a playlist with powerful songs, count your steps, count light poles, pull energy from the people and scenery around you or do whatever helps you and tough it out.
• Once you reach the peak you will recover and it will be much easier to keep pace.
• Sounds simple but it is easy to fall into the “I can’t maintain this” mindset. Remind yourself that you won’t have to and it can help you power up that hill. 

Consider running back to your car in Mt. Pleasant afterwards. Lots of people actually do that! Hang out at the finish line until 10:45am or so then walk back to the bridge. There is always a big group there, waiting to either walk or run back over it to where they parked. It’s something that makes the day a little more challenging, and a little more fun--for me anyway!

Tips from Coach Veronica

• Do packet pick up early.
• Have a plan for getting to the start line with cars/bus for the return trip home. 
• Get to your corral early. 
• Consider leaving a car downtown the night before the race.  
• Don't try anything new on race day.
• Don't forget -- Sunglasses. Sunscreen. 

More Blue Sky Insider Tips...

• Find the bag drop early. They are at the front and back ends of Coleman. Those are the most crowded areas pre-race and it's hard to get back to your corral if you wait until the last minute to drop a bag.

• Bag drop has always been reliable! Don't be afraid to use it!

• Leave a car at Patriot's Point and walk back to the start line. Bring some cash and take the ferry back to Mt. Pleasant/Patriot's Point. You don't need a reservation. It's a beautiful way to take in the morning.

• If you're taking a bus back, ask which way they are going and dropping off. Take the bus that will get you closest to your car. They don't all go the same route, depending on when you catch the bus back.