Upstate Race Series

Upstate Race Series
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It is our goal to create a community in the Upstate that offers every runner an opportunity to participate. Our experienced team of event directors and race timers are excited to bring a diverse set of events in the Upstate to a diverse group of participants that make up our great community!

  1. 3D AGO

    Awards Night, Greenville 13.1, Youth Program, Super Cannoli

    Welcome to the Upstate Race Series Podcast. I’m Matthew Hammersmith, and this is your trailhead for running in the Upstate of South Carolina. Here, we talk races, training, community, and the stories that happen in the miles between the start line and the finish line. Whether you’re chasing a PR, chasing a sunrise, or just chasing your friends down the trail, you’re in the right place. Alright. Let’s jump in. First up: results. We had a lovely Valentine’s Day weekend with three events across the Upstate, Cupid Chase, Cupid Shuffle, and our very own Lovers Lane 2 Mile. Lots of fast feet, lots of heart, and at least a few runners who treated “date night” like it was a qualifying race. As always, results are posted on our website, and they’re live on race day. Because nothing keeps a runner humble like refreshing results and realizing someone just passed you… from their couch. We’ve got overall and age group awards on the line, plus the real prizes: Strava kudos, local legend battles, and that one burrito segment somebody takes personally. And hey, if you’re not racing for the podium, that’s still a win. If you’re chasing a personal best, running your first race, or just showing up and getting it done, we’re putting you in the winner’s circle too. Grit counts. Consistency counts. You count. And if you had no dog in the fight, we still saw over 400 of you out at the Super Cannoli Bowl 5K on Super Bowl Sunday at Bridgeway Station, knocking out a quick 5K before kickoff. Consider this one officially on the calendar. Annual event. Same pregame energy, same game face, hopefully fewer nacho-related regrets. Now, speaking of results… let’s talk Awards Night. We have finalized our 2025 Age Group Series for Trail, Road, Brew, and Ultra, and we’ve got the big celebration locked in. Our in-person awards ceremony and member celebration is set for Saturday, March 21st, 2026 at Lakewood Nature Preserve in Greenville. If you need the exact address for your GPS: 220 Lakewood Drive, Greenville, South Carolina, 29607. And let me set the tone here. This isn’t just an awards ceremony. This is our chance to take a breath after an awesome 2025 season and celebrate the people who made it happen: award winners, members, and especially the volunteers who kept showing up weekend after weekend and kept this whole race series rolling. Who’s invited? Pretty much everyone in our orbit. If you’re an Upstate Running Club member, bring your people. If you’re an age group winner, you definitely need to be there. If you volunteered at any Upstate Race Series event, this night is for you. And if you ran even one event in the series, you’re part of the story. We’d love to see you. So again: Saturday, March 21st. Lakewood Nature Preserve. Greenville. Come celebrate the season, the community, and the people who showed up and made 2025 what it was. Alright, moving on to upcoming races. This weekend, our crew heads down to Columbia for the annual Sandhills Trail and Ultra Series at Sesqui State Park. Warm temperatures, early morning dew, and that classic pine-needle trail feel. It’s a whole vibe. If you’re racing, settle in. Be smart. Manage the effort early. Respect the loop. Eat before you’re hungry, drink before you’re thirsty, and don’t wait until you’re in a dark place to remember you own electrolytes. Enjoy the long dance. And a quick shoutout to everyone heading to the sold-out Greenville Half Marathon and 5K. Over 3,000 participants toeing the line for one of the fastest races in South Carolina, with runners coming in from more than 20 different states. Our team will be out there helping as pacers and managing finish line volunteers to make sure every runner gets a strong welcome home. Join us for the Chase the Rainbow 5K at Bridgeway Station on March 14th. Fun, festive, and fully St. Patrick’s Day flavored, with 600 of your closest running friends and a free beer at the finish. Come for the miles, stay for the post-race “I wasn’t even tired” lies.

    5 min

  2. JAN 31

    Giving Series, Upcoming Races, Youth Team, Awards Night

    Alright, quick Giving Series update to kick us off. Through the first month of 2026, our Giving Series has raised $516 for our local nonprofit partners. That might sound like a small number on paper, but I want you to remember what it represents: runners showing up, people choosing to add a donation, and local races powering local impact. We’ll keep updating that total each month as we advocate for the events and organizations doing the hard work right here in our community. So thank you for donating, thank you for toeing the line, and thank you for running your own journey. The finish line of this mission isn’t close, but the vision is long, and we’re in it for the miles. Now, speaking of winter miles, I’ve got to give you a weather update. Unfortunately, we did have to cancel two of our annual events for 2026, the Snowbird Challenge and the Ice Breaker 8K. That decision is never fun, but safety has to win. All participants have been deferred to 2027, and for our other events affected by snow, we’ve established make-up dates. We’ll be sending updated details as soon as the snow melts and we can get eyes on the course conditions next week. Alright, shifting gears from weather to people, because I want to give a big shoutout where it’s due. Huge thanks to Josh and Samantha Snyder for their continued support of the Upstate Running Club, our members, the races we support, and especially our competitive youth team. Alright, let’s look ahead, because February is coming in hot, even if the weather isn’t. We’ve got a mix of make-up races and some marquee events that always pull a big crowd. Next weekend we’ll be making up some snow-canceled events with the Battle of the Run Club Trail Series down in Aiken, plus the Cocoa for Children Foundation 5K in Anderson. And on my end, my boots will be on the ground at the Pink 5K, benefiting the Play for Kay cancer foundation. Then as we get closer to Valentine’s Day, you’ve got options. Three solid ones locally: the Cupid Shuffle 5K, the Cupid Chase 5K at Unity Park, and the Lovers Lane 2 Mile at Bridgeway Station. So whether you’re racing, jogging, walking, or just there for the vibes, there’s a start line with your name on it. And then we roll straight into Super Bowl Sunday with one of my favorites, the Super Cannoli 5K. This one finishes with a free beer and a free cannoli, which honestly feels like the most honest type of race award. Registration stays open through race day, and it’ll be held at Bridgeway Station, so come run hard and then celebrate properly. Now if that’s still not enough miles under your feet, let’s talk about the big one. The Greenville Half Marathon and 5K is one of the Upstate’s premier events, and it brings out thousands of runners. It’s fast, it’s fun, and it’s a great day to PR or just soak up the energy. We’ll have Upstate Running Club pacers leading pace groups down the Swamp Rabbit Trail, and I’ll be at the finish handing out cheers, beers, water, and finisher medals. I can’t wait to see you out there. Alright, one more key date to put on your calendar, because this one’s been a long time coming. Awards Night is back on for March 21st. This is a completely free event that will celebrate our 2025 award winners, but it’s also a thank-you to every club member, volunteer, and person behind the scenes who keeps this thing moving. Join us at the Nature Preserve on March 21st for a few laughs, some stories, and a little celebration of the miles and memories that got us from the start line to the finish.

    5 min

  3. JAN 19

    Weekly Update: Youth, Awards, Oh My

    Updates on: Local RacesYouth TeamUpcoming EventsAwards Night Welcome to the Upstate Race Series Podcast. I’m Matthew Hammersmith, and this is your trailhead for running in the Upstate of South Carolina. Here we talk races, training, community, and the stories that happen between the start and the finish lines. Whether you’re chasing a PR, chasing a sunrise, or just chasing your friends down the trail, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it. First up, congrats to everyone who showed up and threw down at the Downtown News 5K this past weekend. That race is special to me because it was my very first race in Greenville about thirteen years ago when I moved here. Getting to be out there again with roughly 800 running friends felt like a full-circle moment. And yes, I’m making a slow return to running. Still “retired,” technically. But I laced them up and remembered something important. It felt good to hurt. Now if you’re like most of us, you’re probably still playing catch up after the holidays. The calendar flips, goals come back online, and suddenly the easy pace feels a little less easy. But here’s the good news. The Upstate doesn’t really do an off season. Even with winter sitting on our shoulders, there are plenty of chances to race, train, and build momentum heading into spring. Speaking of chances, this weekend is loaded. We’ve got three local opportunities worth talking about. First is the annual Snowbird Challenge. This one is for the folks who like to go long, or for the people who want to team up and share the load in a relay. If the forecast does what January forecasts do, the relay might be the move. Find a fellow snowbird, huddle up for warmth, and take turns chipping away at the distance. Next is the Cocoa 5K, and this one matters for a couple reasons. One, it’s a fun event. Two, it supports an organization doing real work through our Giving Series, benefiting Homes for Children. This is a thread we’ll keep weaving into the podcast this year. In 2026, the Upstate Race Series Giving Program is in full swing. When you donate through our events, you’re directly supporting one of 30 local nonprofit partners right here in the Upstate. Every dollar goes to organizations serving families, supporting kids, promoting health, caring for animals, protecting the environment, and doing the behind-the-scenes work that holds a community together. And last but not least, we’ve got the Battle of the Run Clubs down in Aiken. It’s a perfect excuse to escape the cold snap rolling into the Upstate, and it’s a great chance to settle the score between all the amazing run clubs that make up our running community. Friendly competition, loud cheer sections, and bragging rights. What could possibly go wrong? Quick community highlight: the Upstate Running Club Youth Team showed up big this weekend. We headed up to Tryon, North Carolina for our second indoor meet of the season at the Tryon Equestrian Center, and the crew came ready. We rolled in with 35 athletes and left with fresh PRs, podium hardware, and the best kind of finish line photos, big smiles and tired legs. Proud of the athletes, proud of the families, and proud of everyone helping build the next generation one lap at a time. A couple quick updates before we close. We’ve gotten great feedback on the quarterly URC and URS newsletter, and we’re keeping it going. If you’d like to contribute or nominate a runner for a spotlight, email us at UpstateRaceSeries@gmail.com and we’ll connect you with Sticky McGoo, our newsletter editor.

    4 min

  4. JAN 15

    Giving Series - New Foundations Home for Children

    Welcome back to the Upstate Race Series Podcast. I’m Matthew Hammersmith, and this is your Giving Series spotlight for a race that turns a simple Saturday morning run into real support for kids and families in our community. Mark your calendar for Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in Anderson. It’s the New Foundations Home for Children Cocoa 5K, a timed 5K on mostly paved paths around the Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center complex, with the start area at 3027 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. This is an approachable course whether you’re chasing a PR, running your first 5K, pushing a stroller, or just rolling in with friends for the vibes. And yes, cocoa is part of the plan. Here’s why this one matters. New Foundations Home for Children is based in Anderson and has served South Carolina since 1974, originally founded as the Anderson Youth Association. Their work supports foster and at-risk children and helps families work through trauma and mental health challenges through a full continuum of care: residential services, foster care, in-home family preservation and intervention, and transportation services. On the residential side, New Foundations serves youth ages 10 to 21 in a structured, staff-intensive setting in Anderson County, using strength-based, trauma-informed approaches with a focus on well-being and family permanency. In the community, they recruit, license, and support foster homes, and they provide in-home case management designed to strengthen and preserve families. Their motto says it plainly: “Whatever it takes.” They’re also licensed through the South Carolina Department of Social Services and nationally accredited through COA, with accreditation dating back to 1995. That combination of local roots and high standards is exactly what the Giving Series is about: showing up for organizations doing steady, meaningful work all year long. A few quick race notes so you can plan: this event is rain or shine, but severe weather like thunderstorms could cause a cancellation. And if you want a guaranteed race shirt, make sure you register by January 9, 2026. So here’s the invitation: come run, jog, or walk the Cocoa 5K and turn your miles into momentum for children and families across South Carolina. Bring a friend. Bring the family. Bring that “new year, new habits” energy and aim it at a cause that matters. To learn more about New Foundations Home for Children, visit their website. And to register for the Cocoa 5K, hop on the race page and lock it in before the shirt deadline. I’ll see you in Anderson on January 24th. Let’s run for warmth, run for community, and run for the future, whatever it takes.

    3 min

  5. JAN 14

    The Quarterly Split: Upstate Running Club Newsletter

    Welcome to the Upstate Race Series Podcast. I’m Matthew Hammersmith, and this is your trailhead for running in the Upstate of South Carolina. Here we talk races, training, community, and the stories that happen between the start and the finish line. Whether you’re chasing a PR, chasing a sunrise, or just chasing your friends down the trail, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it.Our youth program supports more than 100 athletes each year, focused on ages 7 to 13. Each season includes weekly practices, local and regional competitions, and team-building socials that strengthen both athletic skill and personal growth. Because of your memberships and donations, we keep the program affordable while still offering real coaching and a real team experience.Now, group runs. If you’re looking for people to run with, we’ve got options all over. Greenville has crews like Monday Milers downtown and Paris Mountain trail meetups. Spartanburg has Hub City, New Groove, Rockers, and Southside runs. Anderson rotates meetups and has early morning and brewery runs. Clemson and Central have midweek groups and a Friday morning crew. You’ll also find consistent meetups in Greer, Easley, Tri-Town, Fountain Inn, and Greenwood and Laurens. Same goal everywhere: show up, move together, and leave a little better than you arrived.Let’s talk highlighted races. Lovers Lane 2 Mile and Relay is coming up at Bridgeway Station, built for connection, community, and a fun weekend race vibe. Run it solo, tag-team it, or bring your better half and make it a Valentine’s weekend memory.And if you want dirt under your shoes, the Sandhills Trail Race Series at Sesquicentennial State Park in Columbia is calling. Pine forest, sandy ridges, and plenty of room to test your grit. If you’ve been thinking about stepping up, there’s a 50K option and a 30-hour event. You can always find the full list of Upstate Race Series events and member discounts on our race calendar.Quick reminder: volunteers keep this whole machine running. If you want to help at any URS event, hit the Volunteers tab on the race page and choose a shift. One specific need: Ville to Ville is looking for six volunteers on April 11 from 11:20 a.m. to 5:25 p.m.Runner spotlights are rolling too, featuring stories from Brian Grice, Ben Risko, Lauren Forrest, and Corey Bredderman. Different backgrounds, different paths, and the same reminder that progress comes in a lot of forms.In running news, we’ve got a great local Greenville story: WR@D took a respectful swing at marathon history by turning 26.2 miles into a relay of 200-meter sprints. One baton, one clock, one community effort. That’s what happens when runners decide to do something big together.Sticky’s Corner is back with two truths: yes, you can eat the cookies even if you didn’t bring any, and yes, Uncrustables belong at aid stations. And remember, runners wave for kindness, reassurance, and sometimes a little competitive theater. Whatever the reason, keep waving.Coaching tip of the month: keep your resolution by making it small and stacking days, scheduling your runs like meetings, living by the “never miss twice” rule, creating accountability through people and start lines, and tracking the process instead of obsessing over the outcome.Quote of the month: “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.”Member benefits reminder: URC members get discounts with local partners like Run In, Swamp Rabbit Physio, GUTS, The Nutrition Store, Fit Body Boot Camp Simpsonville, Atlas Chiropractic, plus savings across Upstate Race Series events.

    6 min

  6. JAN 7

    New Year New Me!?

    New Year, New Me? Or the same story retold in every chapter of every unfinished runner book? Every January 1st, goals and motivation show up wearing their brightest, most enthusiastic outfits. But as the year unfolds, those same goals start collecting baggage: complacency, distractions, and the quiet delusion that we can “make it up later.” Important Club Links Club Membership Page Club Store Page Race Discounts on ALL Events Club Member Benefits Strava Club - Kudos Korner Run Club Schedule Facebook Group Facebook Page Race Series Podcast Race Series Pages  Upstate Trail Series Upstate Road Series Upstate Brew Series Upstate Youth Series Upstate Giving Series Upstate Ultra Series So how do we actually stick to those lofty New Year resolutions? Here are five simple practices that keep your running goals alive long after the confetti is gone. First, make it laughably small, and then stack days. Instead of saying, “I’m going to run 30 miles a week,” start with something like, “I’m going to run for 10 minutes, three days a week.” Consistency beats ambition when motivation gets unpredictable. Right now, my personal focus is getting my feet underneath me by running two miles a day. And for some of you, that might sound too small. I get it. There was a time when I would have laughed at the idea of “only” running two miles, especially when I was knocking out ten-mile runs before sunrise. But the journey is different for every runner, and every season of life changes the way we approach progress. If your goal is to stay consistent all year, you have to set yourself up early with measured, achievable milestones you can actually repeat. Second, put it on the calendar like a meeting. Pick your run days and your time slots. Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30 a.m. Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Whatever works. Because if it’s not scheduled, it’s not a plan, it’s a wish. If you’re a parent, a working professional, a dog mom, or you just have a chaotic schedule and an even more chaotic mind, it matters that you carve out a realistic 30 to 60 minute window where fitness has a place in your life. And here’s the truth: thirty minutes of movement is a whole lot better than zero minutes of movement. Putting it on your calendar is how you meet your future expectations halfway. And remember this: if you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re one curveball away from being late. And if you’re late, you’re probably lost. Third, live by the “never miss twice” rule. Missing a run is human. Life happens. Weather happens. Work happens. Kids happen. The only rule is this: don’t let one miss become a streak. Your next planned run becomes non-negotiable. Because let’s be honest, life has a funny way of convincing you that everything else is more urgent than your goals. Sometimes that’s true. But if you want a better version of yourself, you build it with habits, and habits are built through consistency, not perfection. Fourth, create accountability that’s hard to dodge. This part is simple. There are over 100 local run clubs in the Upstate alone. Join a group run. Text a running buddy your plan the night before. Sign up for a spring race. A start line is a persuasive life coach. Most of us don’t struggle because we don’t know what to do. We struggle because we get in our own heads. We talk ourselves out of it. We predict failure before we even start. Accountability doesn’t guarantee you won’t fail, but it closes the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Sometimes all it takes is one person expecting you to show up. And fifth, track the process, not just the outcome.

    5 min

  7. 12/30/2025

    Giving Series

    Welcome to the Upstate Race Series Podcast. I’m Matthew Hammersmith, and this is your trailhead for running in the Upstate of South Carolina. Here we talk races, training, community, and the stories that happen between the start and the finish lines. Whether you’re chasing a PR, chasing a sunrise, or just chasing your friends down the trail, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it. Important Club Links Club Membership Page Club Store Page Race Discounts on ALL Events Club Member Benefits Strava Club - Kudos Korner Run Club Schedule Facebook Group Facebook Page Race Series Pages  Upstate Trail Series Upstate Road Series Upstate Brew Series Upstate Youth Series Upstate Giving Series Upstate Ultra Series Somehow, 365 days of 2025 came and went, and I’m sitting here with my lowest total mileage since I was about 13 years old. And honestly, that’s a weird sentence for me to say out loud. Because even though my personal running has taken the back seat in the Buick, I’m still in the driver’s seat, hands on the wheel, trying to help steer the running journeys of the Upstate Running Club, our race series, and, of course, my own family. This stage of life, the one where I’m sometimes without running shoes or a coach’s whistle, has been humbling. But I also know it’s where I’m needed right now, by the community I get to serve. I won’t drag out my love-hate relationship with running at the moment. I do think my “runner hat” makes a comeback at some point. But for now, I’ve got a few goals that matter a lot to me. One of the biggest is something we’re building through the Upstate Race Series called the Giving Series. In 2026, we’re launching a Giving Program through our personally owned events to help fund essential programs, provide education, and support outreach that directly impacts people right here in the Upstate. Here’s the simple version. When you donate through any one of our events, you’re not just supporting a race. You’re directly supporting one of our local nonprofit partners. Every dollar donated goes straight to a charity that’s already doing the hard work: serving families, supporting kids, caring for animals, improving health, protecting the environment, and a whole lot more. And here’s what I love most. Many of these organizations are led or staffed by runners. People like you. Real boots on the ground, making a difference every day. Last year, together with our participants, we helped generate over $500,000 in registrations and donations that went directly back into these nonprofits. In 2026, we’re formalizing and expanding that impact so that when you sign up, donate, or bring a friend to race, you’ll know exactly which organization you’re helping. So yeah, even if my personal mileage is down right now, my hat as a race director, race timer, and club manager is still very much on. And through the Giving Series, we have a real opportunity to give back to the organizations that keep giving to our community day after day. We do it the way we know how: timing, registration, marketing, logistics, and putting on well-oiled, cost-effective events that help these groups maximize donations and keep their missions moving. And I just want to say thank you. If you’ve run one of our races, volunteered, cheered someone on, or supported our events in any way, you’ve already been part of that impact. Heading into 2026, your participation and your donations will continue to help people who live right alongside all of us here in the Upstate. And that’s our trailhead chat for today. Whether you’re training with the Upstate Running Club or racing with the Upstate Race Series, remember: the little things add up. Stay consistent, stay curious, and I’ll see you somewhere between the start and the finish lines.

    3 min

  8. 12/30/2025

    Weathered

    Welcome to the Upstate Race Series Podcast. I’m Matthew Hammersmith, and this is your trailhead for running in the Upstate of South Carolina. Here we talk races, training, community, and the stories that happen between the start and the finish lines. Whether you’re chasing a PR, chasing a sunrise, or just chasing your friends down the trail, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it. Important Club Links Club Membership Page Club Store Page Race Discounts on ALL Events Club Member Benefits Strava Club - Kudos Korner Run Club Schedule Facebook Group Facebook Page Race Series Pages  Upstate Trail Series Upstate Road Series Upstate Brew Series Upstate Youth Series Upstate Giving Series Upstate Ultra SeriesOn quiet Sunday mornings, I find myself winding through the trails of Lake Conestee Nature Park. These recovery runs have turned into a rhythm for me, part ritual, part therapy. Early in the run, my mind tends to drift backward. I replay the past week: the miles I got in, the moments that mattered, the little setbacks, the small wins. And then, somewhere near the final stretch, my thoughts start leaning forward. Toward the races ahead. Toward the athletes I coach. Toward whatever challenge is waiting just beyond the horizon. It’s funny how that works, my legs follow my thoughts. My pace doesn’t pick up because I’m trying to run harder. It picks up because I’m starting to believe in what’s next. And the trail has a way of telling its own story, too. If you’ve ever been out on the Henderson Farm loop, you’ve seen it: young saplings standing beside towering older trees, the ones that look like they’ve been there forever. Trees that have taken their share of storms, droughts, heat, cold, and change, and they’re still standing. Sometimes I’ll look at them and wonder, did someone run past these same trees two hundred years ago? Lost in thought the same way I am. Dreaming forward, even back then. Because like those trees, runners get weathered. From the first stride, we start collecting seasons. Highs and lows. Injuries and comebacks. Confidence and doubt. And if you’ve been in this long enough, you know exactly what I mean when I say there are seasons where you feel like you fell away from the sport, like a tree that went down in the woods and got left behind. But then spring shows up. Not always on the calendar, but in your spirit. A little light. A reason to rise again. And in that rising, you find new life. Maybe not the same version of you that started, but a stronger one. A more honest one. To be a weathered runner is to be a survivor. Runners are resilient people. We keep showing up. We train through cold dawns and sweltering afternoons. We run in that bone-chilling rain that soaks you straight through. We move through the dark stillness of November when the world feels quiet and heavy. We grow in places nobody expects, and sometimes we surprise ourselves most of all. We root deep. We endure what we can’t control. And we keep pushing upward. Not because it’s easy, but because something in us needs it. And look, finisher medals shine. They’re cool, they’re meaningful, they look great hanging on a wall. But so do the struggles. I tell my athletes this all the time: the finish line is not the point. You might forget the exact moment your foot hits that final timing mat. What stays with you is everything that happened before it. The quiet grind. The early alarms. The runs you didn’t feel like doing. The people who showed up with you. The personal growth you didn’t even notice until later. That’s what imprints itself on you. That’s what builds you. I’ll be out on the Swamp Rabbit Trail sometimes and watch runners go by, and I’m not thinking about their pace or their form. I’m thinking about their resilience. Because every runner you pass, or who passes you, has been shaped by unseen forces. Life presses in from every direction, and still, there they are. Moving forward. Upright. Alive.

    5 min
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About

It is our goal to create a community in the Upstate that offers every runner an opportunity to participate. Our experienced team of event directors and race timers are excited to bring a diverse set of events in the Upstate to a diverse group of participants that make up our great community!

Information

  • Creator
    Upstate Race Series
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Upstate Race Series
  • Show Website
    Upstate Race Series