Cue the squinty eye photos! Here are 5 of my favorite runs I did around Charleston while training for my (3) half marathon(s) in 2023! In no particular order…
- Pitt Street Bridge
- Cooper River Bridge
- West Ashley Greenway with Rebellion Road Loop
- Scenic Route Downtown – The Battery and Beyond
- Folly Beach
1. Pitt Street Bridge
Distance: up to 8 miles
Pitt Street is located on the Mount Pleasant side of town. This run is a great option as you can customize it to any distance you might want that day! If you park beneath the Cooper River Bridge, you can make it into a 7-8 mile run by going from the bridge, through the old village of Mount Pleasant, viewing some adorable coastal homes on your way to the Pitt Street Bridge. If you want a shorter run, you can park at the Pitt Street Bridge entrance and go from there!
2. Cooper River Bridge
Distance: up to 12 miles
The Cooper River Bridge, also known as the Ravenel Bridge, spans the…you guessed it…Cooper River, connecting Mount Pleasant to Downtown Charleston. Famous as the only “hill” in the lowcountry area, get ready for your heart rate to skyrocket when climbing this big guy! There is a famous 10K race held on this bridge, with more than 30,000 people running it each year!
A run on this bridge can be anywhere from 0 to around 12 miles depending on where you go. If you just want a short hill workout, park under the bridge and run up the Mount Pleasant side. If you want to go a little farther, you can take the same parking/entrance onto the bridge and run the entire length of it, which is about 2.5 miles one way. If you really want to ball out, you can tack on a downtown loop before heading back to the bridge, which is where you can get the additional mileage. Alternatively, you can park somewhere farther into Mount Pleasant and save the hill for the middle of your run, for another longer distance run.
3. West Ashley Greenway with Rebellion Road Loop
Distance: up to 15 miles
I love this one because I can run to it from my house, so it made it easy to lace up and get out there! There are many other reasons it made this list though – the distance can be customized to as far or short as you’d like, it’s safe and well-trodden by others, and it’s easy to zone out and run since you don’t have to think of the route. There are some pretty houses along the way you can view, but I highly recommend adding the Rebellion Road Loop for even prettier dream homes! You can park behind the strip mall at 22 Windermere Blvd and make your way onto the Greenway, or go down Chadwick Drive to Rebellion Road for some light real estate perusing.
4. The Battery
Distance: up to 8 miles
The downtown area in Charleston is really pretty small, so you can start this run anywhere on the peninsula and make your way to the Battery. This is a great run because you will never be bored, between looking at the historic homes downtown, to the greenery of the Battery, to the lapping waves at the edge of the sea wall, this run is a keeper!
5. Folly Beach
Distance: up to 15 miles
Finally probably one of my top favorite runs, Folly Beach. This run is a favorite for me not only because you can end it with a margarita at Taco Boy on the main strip of Folly, but also because it is by the water. You can also opt for the road right off the beach which goes the length of the island, too, and is relatively safe. Most drivers are aware there are people trodding the streets to and from the beach and there is a 25 MPH island-wide speed limit.
If you go to the very tip of the North East side of the island (the right hand side of the map below), you will find the Morris Island Lighthouse (pictured right). This lighthouse was once on the beach, but has made its way to the water as the beach has eroded. The annual Save the Lighthouse race (one of my three half’s I did this year) supports preserving this structure, especially important to me since this is where my hubs proposed!