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Weekly Update: Youth, Awards, Oh My
Updates on:
- Local Races
- Youth Team
- Upcoming Events
- Awards 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 [email protected] and we’ll connect you with Sticky McGoo, our newsletter editor.
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By Upstate Race SeriesUpdates on:
- Local Races
- Youth Team
- Upcoming Events
- Awards 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 [email protected] and we’ll connect you with Sticky McGoo, our newsletter editor.