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LMC Governor’s Cup Road Race: only two weeks away

We are just over two weeks out from the 44th annual governor’s cup road race. Now is a great time to sign up before prices increase on May 1. Whether you are signing up now or already signed up, check out our web site to see new race courses, T-shirt art, and awards.

Governor's Cup Race Courses Announced!

The courses for the new Governor’s Cup Road Race have been finalized, and maps for the new courses are now available at the Gov Cup website. The courses were designed to pass many of the notable sites and attractions in the Greater Columbia area. The first three miles of the courses for the half-marathon and 5- kilometer races are identical, and they touch:

Columbia’s historic Main Street
South Carolina State House
Woodrow Wilson Family Home
Township Auditorium
Robert Mills House/Gardens
Hampton-Preston House/Gardens
Siebels House/Gardens
Mann-Simons Cottage
South Carolina Governor’s Mansion
The Vista

The half-marathon course ties Columbia to its sister cities on the west side of the Congaree River, and it touches the following sites:

South Carolina State Museum
EdVenture
Gervais Street Bridge
West Columbia and Cayce
Guignard Brick Works
Blossom Street Bridge
USC’s Greek Village
USC’s Strom Thurmond Fitness and Wellness Center
Shandon Neighborhood
Five Points
USC’s Horseshoe
South Carolina Capital Complex
Greater Columbia Convention Center

The Governor’s Cup Half-Marathon is slated to start at 7:00 am on Saturday, May 14. The 5 kilometer run and 5 kilometer walk will start at 7:30 am.

Also, don’t forget to check out the course for the all new Governor’s Cup Main Street Mile. That course will start near the corner of Main and Laurel Streets, head south on Main to a turn-around at Lady Street, and return to finish near the start. The Main Street Mile is scheduled to start at 7:00 pm on Friday, May 13.

Come celebrate these new race courses and Columbia’s history on May 13 and 14!

Main Street Mile

The LMC Governor’s Cup will be holding the inaugural Main St. Mile on May 13th, 2016. The Main St. Mile will be an evening race that will kick off the 2016 LMC Governor’s Cup Running Festival. The race will start at 7:00 p.m. at the intersection of Main and Laurel St. The course is an out and back course that will have the runners do a gradual 180 degree rounded turn around at the intersection of Main and Lady St. After the turn around the runners will finish back at the intersection of Main and Laurel St.

All participants of the Main St. Mile will receive a finisher’s medal. Cash prizes will be offered for the 1st (300), 2nd ($200), and 3rd ($150) place overall male and female finishers. Masters winners will receive $100. Along with the cash prizes, the Mast General Store will be offering $100 gift cards for the male and female overall winners and $75 gift cards for masters (40-49) and Grandmasters (50+). The award ceremony will be held at 7:30 near the finish line.

After the race we would encourage all runners spend time on Main St. Come stop by the Mast General Store, have dinner at Michael’s or Cantina 76, or visit the Columbia Museum of Arts who will be hosting its quarterly Arts and Draughts event at Boyd Plaza. Parking will be available in the Taylor St. parking garage behind the Mast General Store. Parking is free on all levels of the garage after 5:30 pm. Participants can park in metered spaces in downtown, but we will ask that you do not park in the spaces along the course on Main St.

Spirit Corps, Entertainment & Fun along all race courses

Interspersed along the residential, historic district and scenic river race routes, walkers, runners and spectators will be pleasantly surprised and entertained by a variety of community groups. These groups, called Spirt Corps, have been selected for their unique talents and especially for their enthusiasm.

You will hear a variety of sounds as you progress on your run. Be sure to wave as you pass by each. USC grads, singer Rachel Gibson & Jon Ives, guitarist, return home to bring their Retro-styled Americana Music. Award winning steel and brass bands from several high schools, such as Dreher and C.A. Johnson, will fill the air with sounds that will pump energy into your run. Think you hear Scottish music & bagpipes as you peak on top of a hill? Enchanted by Caribbean music? You are in for a treat. In addition, there will be youth, theater and dance troupes in costume cheering you to the finish line, each with their own style. And of course, you’ll marvel at the Double Dutch jump rope routines.

We have a few more Spirit Spots to fill, if you want to recommend a group, we welcome referrals. Deadline is April 18, and more information and applications is available on Spirt Corps page on the Governor’s Cup web site. Spirit Corps locations will be posted on the web site before the race.