WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | Runners get ready for Enmark Savannah River Bridge Run
Member Center:
By Justin Burrows - email
SAVANNAH,GA (WTOC) - One look at the Talmadge Bridge and its beauty speaks for itself. Beautiful, until you decide it's a good idea to run across it.
"It's intense, especially for a local boy," said runner Michael Ard-Kelly. "The bridge is a lot taller than you think it is, and usually the training we do around here is pretty flat ground and that bridge is pretty steep."
Ard-Kelly is just one of 4,500 runners who are gearing up for this year's Enmark Savannah River Bridge run on Saturday. Participants can either run a 5k, 10k, or if they are feeling up to the challenge, both, in what organizers call the Double-Pump. A challenge that runner Crystal McCullough has been training for.
"I have been running 5 days a week. Long runs, speed work, just usually about 35 miles a week," said Crystal McCullough, who has been running the race the last 4 years.
Almost 5,000 runners will be making their way across the bridge, but not just the expert runners, people of all skill levels.
"It's for everyone, as fun as the runners are up there gutting it out to the finish line, it's still an enjoyment to put on for those people who are going to walk," said Kevin Hagan, who works as the director of marketing with Fleet Feet Savannah.
And participants might be running against more than just runners.
"There's usually a costume contest, people running dressed like a Christmas tree and Sponge Bob, a lot of festivities, and a lot of people having a real good time," said Ard-Kelly.
And that good time could mean good business for the City of Savannah.
"We'll attract over 5,000 people in town this weekend and they will fill hotel rooms, they'll eat in our restaurants, and they'll shop in our shops," said Joe Marinelli, president of the Savannah Area Convention Visitors Bureau.
And with that many people heading towards the finish line, there's bound to be some good advice, on how to get there.
"It's scary, but it's not that bad, there's a top," said McCullough.
"Just try and finish and have a good time doing it," said Ard-Kelly.
There is till time register for the race, but you have to hurry there is a limit on how people can participate. Just visit www.savannahriverbridgerun.com.
©2009 WTOC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
