Mount Pleasant Magazine March/April 2020

37 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.BestofMP.com feature the town of Mount Pleasant and Charleston County governments to come together to make this race happen. At times it seems like the Bridge Run is a well-oiled machine,” Batten admitted. “But I will say, we are always tweaking things to improve and stay on the cutting edge. We want participants to return and tell others how great our event is. Also, it helps that we are running in the most beautiful area.” Pat Welch, representing the Charleston Running Club, is chairman of the board. He said that the board’s role is to provide organizational support and leadership for Batten and the staff. “The most impressive part of the entire event is the hour before the start where you can witness first-hand how well the event has been planned down to the smallest detail,” Welch said. “With almost 40,000 runners staged in the starting corrals, it’s amazing to see how well the race is managed. There is no room for errors and the race has a history of success. It is a tribute to our past Director Julian Smith and now Irv Batten and his staff who have continued the tradition of putting on one of the top runs in the U.S.” Being such a highly acclaimed race, it has attracted its fair share of talented individuals. Elite athletes from all over the world come to compete and to be the coveted winner of the Cooper River Bridge Run. Batten and his staff recognize many of these individuals in their “Hall of Fame” event during the expo and they also introduce the elite athletes that will be running, many of whom are Olympians. The wheelchair race that begins 30 minutes before the runners take off has also included many past Olympians, according to Batten. “The wheelchair race has become quite popular and is a big part of the overall event. It garners quite a bit of attention,” he added. With so many aspects of the Cooper River Bridge Run in general, it isn’t hard to see why so many people want to participate. Dr. Newberry’s desire with the Cooper River Bridge was to promote health and fitness among the Charleston community. Just under 1,000 people registered that first year on April 2, 1978, which even at that time exceeded expectations. And 42 years later, here we are, with an expected 40,000 registrants trained and ready to “get over it”—a slogan the team coined for running across the picturesque Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. “This race is a reflection of our community and every single one of us on the team feels honored to be involved,” Batten concluded. A Stand-Alone Memory Care Community. Come see what makes us different! Serving those with Alzheimers and other related conditions. We are a member of the JEA Senior Living family of assisted living communities. JEA is committed to being the leader is providing quality personal services for our Residents while honoring the exerience of aging. 843.216.1001 1025 Hungryneck Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 jeaseniorliving.com Call for a free tour! Upscale hand-me-downs at pleasing prices Children’s Clothing & Shoes • Maternity Books • Toys • Games • Strollers & More! For Volunteer / Consignor Registration and Event Details visit: www.charlestonrepeats.com MARCH 20-22 Omar Shrine Convention Center Mt. Pleasant