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.