An emerging race opportunity in the region, Upstate South Carolina’s Mountains to Main Street event, provides athletes an early season, close to home half distance triathlon or half marathon event. This locally owned and managed race features a boutique feel with value pricing. The point to point half distance triathlon is in its second year, and features the same generous course support as last year with updates to ensure the event is even more enjoyable. Last year’s inaugural half distance triathlon featured over 400 competitors and is expected to grow.
The Mountains to Main Street Race Festival gives every triathlete and runner, from the competitive age-grouper to the novice, the experience of a lifetime. Triathletes will traverse a half distance course that spans three counties across the Upstate of South Carolina and finishes in beautiful downtown Greenville, recipient of numerous national awards for its beauty and welcoming feel. The triathlon features a picturesque swim, a challenging rolling bike course, and a net downhill run that culminates on the TD Stage overlooking the Reedy River in Greenville, SC. Changes to the course this year include an updated bike route to improve athlete enjoyment and safety on the course. In addition, triathletes planning to complete in the race can plan to preview the course by participating in the Bear Crawl swim preview event hosted by race organizers on May 6, and then spending the remainder of the weekend scouting the bike and run course, and simply enjoying the training opportunities Upstate South Carolina has to offer. The area is well known to be a cycling destination for athletes and tourists alike, with its picturesque, challenging, and seemingly endless bike friendly roads.
The Mountains to Main Street Race Festival Half Marathon shares the same run course as the half distance triathlon competitors and is a prime opportunity for a new personal best performance, with its net-downhill and spectator friendly course along Upstate South Carolina’s famed Swamp Rabbit Trail.
This year, Mountains to Main Street Race Festival also features a 5k and 1k family fun run on the day before the triathlon and half marathon. Give your traveling companions and cheering section a chance to race in Greenville on the day before your big event. Everyone has an opportunity to experience racing in beautiful Upstate South Carolina at this year’s Mountains to Main Street Race Festival. Register for all events at www.mountainstomainstreet.org .
Mountains to Main Street Half Distance Triathlon
The Swim
The 1.2 mile point-to-point swim begins with a wave start in South Cove County Park in beautiful Lake Keowee in Seneca, SC. Water temperature on race day is expected to be in the mid-seventies, and last year’s inaugural race was wetsuit legal.
The Bike
Athletes will be treated to an unparalleled tour on two wheels of Upstate South Carolina, across 58 miles of natural beauty through Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties. This year’s bike course has been updated with input from athletes competing in last year’s event and features a challenging, rolling course. After coming through downtown Travelers Rest amidst the cheers of spectators at local retail and restaurant establishments along Main Street, athletes will complete the bike portion of the race at Trailblazer Park.
The Run
The 13.1 mile run begins on the Swamp Rabbit Trail just North of Furman University in Travelers Rest. Athletes will circle Swan Lake and the Bell Tower on Furman University’s campus. Furman, known as one of the nation’s top undergraduate liberal arts universities, provides an unforgettable backdrop for the early portion of the run. As athletes exit Furman’s campus, they will proceed south on the Swamp Rabbit trail as they make their way toward downtown Greenville.
Along the trail, athletes will encounter numerous aid stations and the iconic restored Swamp Rabbit Rail car. The last leg of the run, and the grand finale for athletes competing in the Mountains to Main Street Half distance triathlon, will bring them into downtown Greenville. The finish on the TD Stage overlooking the Reedy River and Falls Park Bridge will be one spectators and athletes alike will never forget.
Mountains to Main Street Half Marathon
Enjoy the beauty of the scenic Swamp Rabbit Trail, Greenville’s award winning rails to trails multi-use paved trail, in the Mountains to Main Street Half Marathon. Break your longtime personal record on the net downhill course. Join in the excitement of the Mountains to Main Street Race Festival by participating in the Half Marathon. Runners in the Half Marathon will race the same course as the Half Distance Triathletes. The course runs mostly on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, with a short detour around beautiful Furman University campus. Return to the Swamp Rabbit Trail for the net downhill remainder of the run, which finishes on the TD Stage in downtown Greenville overlooking the Reedy River.
Transportation to and from the start and finish lines will be provided for half marathon runners.
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Downtown Greenville
With wide sidewalks, outdoor plazas and street-side dining, vibrant downtown Greenville offers a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere that has been compared to that of a European City. Known for its exceptional beauty, the two most distinctive natural features of the city are its lush, tree-lined Main Street and the stunning Reedy River Falls, located in the heart of Falls Park. The award-winning Liberty Bridge in Falls Park serves as Greenville’s signature postcard setting, and downtown’s extensive collection of public artwork adds beauty and energy to its public spaces.
Downtown is also a shopper’s paradise, with over 100 retailers, including a variety of art galleries and specialty stores. You’ll also find everything from local designer boutiques to national favorites such as Anthropologie, Orvis, Lululemon and Brooks Brothers.
With more than 120 independent restaurants within easy walking distance, downtown’s lively dining scene has sparked Greenville’s emerging reputation as a foodie’s paradise. Most are locally owned one-of-a-kind eateries, with cuisine for every taste and price range.
