10 Tips for the Bridge Run

I am by far an expert, but here's some advice for all those who care. 

If you're interested in the Cooper River Bridge Run, here are my 10 tips to help you along the way. 

1. Yes, there are a lot of people.  In 2012, the cap for the race was 43,000.  That's a LOT of people.  Don't be intimidated.  It is amazing to be a part of something so large.
   
2. Don't take it too seriously unless you're an elite runner (why would an elite runner be reading this though?).  I tried hard, but I also enjoyed myself.  There are costumes, crazy people, funny people, and generally awesome people.  Try to relax and enjoy your time.
   
3. If you want to eat at one of the more popular restaurants downtown after the race, make reservations early.  You can always cancel.
   
4. The bridge closes at 7am the day of the race.  If you parked in Mt. Pleasant, there are shuttle buses that will bus you back across the bridge after the race or you can just run/walk back across.  If you're staying in downtown, there are early morning shuttle buses that take you to the start.  Get there early.
   
5. I stayed in Mt. Pleasant (Patriot's Point).  There are many great hotels in the area and some of the ones on this side of the bridge are cheaper than the downtown ones.  Also, traffic sucks.  Just get used to it and be careful and courteous.
   
6. Bring a bottle of water with you.  Yes, there is water on the course, but you will want something while you wait.
   
7. Get to your corral early.  Once in line, be friendly to the people around you.
   
8. Smile a lot when you pass photographers or the scaffolding at the start and end of the bridge.  Makes for a better picture later. (Oh, and wear a unique shirt color if you're not in a costume.  Makes looking for your photos on the web easier).
   
9. Headphones.  I needed them to focus, but keep the volume low because people are all around you and may want to pass or have an emergency.  I have bluetooth running headphones, so I would just pause them in intense areas.
   
10. It's about 2 miles to the bridge.  One mile up the bridge (The uphill part is way more intense than you realize, especially if you've never walked/ran over it.  I walked this entire part, but ran some once I got to the top.) One mile down the bridge. And, a little over 2 miles to the end.  I recommend saving your energy once you're around 5K if you're a newbie runner like me.  It's easier to run once you clear the bridge as the smaller exit areas tend to bottleneck and slow down from time to time.