The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) is partnering with Save the Light, Inc. for the second year to host their annual half marathon and 5K, set for February 2, 2019.
Both USATF-certified races start at 8:30 am and will begin and finish near the Folly Beach Pier. The half marathon is a run-only event; the 5K is open to runners and walkers.
The half marathon and 5K support the preservation of the Morris Island Lighthouse by Save the Light, a grassroots non-profit organization formed in 2000 to save the lighthouse from being lost to the sea.
“This is a perfect race for all levels of runners,” Save the Light chair Bright Ariail said. “The course is mostly flat, running parallel to the beach past uniquely Folly Beach homes and down to the lighthouse. It begins and ends at the scenic pier and there are plenty of places to eat, drink and relax after the race.”
Registration is now open at CharlestonCountyParks.com or by calling 843-795-4386. Advance registration is $50 for the half marathon and $30 for the 5K. Online and phone registration ends on January 31st; in-person registration will be held at the Tides Hotel on February 1st from 4 pm to 7 pm and on race day from 7 am to 8 am. In-person rates will be $60 for the half marathon and $36 for the 5K. As a premier sponsor for the race, the Tides Hotel is offering a discounted rate of $99 per night plus tax, for an oceanfront room with two queen beds, for participants who book on or before December 29th.
An awards ceremony will be held post-race at the hotel. Awards will be distributed to overall and age group winners for both the half and the 5K. In addition, finisher medals will be provided to half marathoners.
Save the Light, Inc. purchased the Morris Island Lighthouse from its previous owner in 1999, and then transferred ownership to the state of South Carolina through a lease agreement. Save the Light retains responsibility for planning, engineering, fundraising and execution of all aspects of the preservation of the Morris Island Lighthouse.
To register for the Save the Light Half Marathon and 5K, visit www.CharlestonCountyParks.com or call 843-795-4386. For more information on the Save the Light organization and the Morris Island Lighthouse, visit SaveTheLight.org.
