There's a tiny race production company in Bluffton called Play Hard Sports, Inc. The past few years they've put on a duathlon series and several 5ks. These are small events, but since there really aren't many trail runs in the area, or duathlons for that matter, I'm going on record saying it's worth the two hour drive. And these events could really get going with a few more participants from the Charleston area.
The next race is a 5k trail run (and 1 mile fun run) at Oldfield Plantation on November 15.
Dates for the 2009 duathlon series are:
Race #1 January 31st
Race #2 February 28th
Race #3 March 28th
The duathlon consists of a 5K run, 6 mile trail bike, 5K run. There are three races and two different courses. The February 28th duathlon is at Rose Dhu Creek. I've never raced here, but you can get course info from the website.
The January 31st and March 28th races are at the Pinckney Colony Course. I raced here in 2007 and had a good time. I meant to go back last year, but I had conflicts and couldn't make it happen. The 5k is on pavement, a simple out and back, with absolutely no traffic. The 6 mile MTB course is off road on non-technical paths, mostly double track. It's nothing fancy, but it's a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.
The entry fee is $25, or $20 each for a team. If you pre-register for all three events, you get a pretty good discount. Awards are given for the top three male and female overall finishers, and the first male and female in each age division. Awards are also given to the top three teams.
Both Pinckney Colony and Rose Dhu Creek are located in Bluffton, SC. Directions can be found on the website.
