This past Saturday, folks ran or walked the Isle of Palms Connector, just a short jaunt from your beach house Charleston on the IOP. You can read more in that last blog. Well, the run/walk was a roaring success. The race results are in. You can see them here. Ah, connectors. One of the main things you notice when visiting the Lowcountry is that there’s no shortage of water, or islands. It’s a big part of what makes up the fabric of this area… the interplay of beach and city, island and waterways, all interconnecting in a beautiful way. Chances are it’s one of the main draws to stay in one of our SC vacation rentals, whether it’s one of our Isle of Palms vacation rentals or a Folly Beach rentals Charleston. Staying in a Charleston beach house gives you the peace of being near the water while also being a nice “doable” distance from the charms and culture of chic Charleston. This interplay among island and water and mainland also lends itself to something else - bridges, or “connectors,” as folks like to call them around these parts. And honestly, there’s something very cool about crossing over them. When I drive over the Isle of Palms Connector, traveling from Mount Pleasant toward the IOP, I always get a little thrill when I crest that rise and get the first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. There’s something downright exhilarating about it - getting a whole panorama of the ocean’s horizon laid out before you. If you are staying in one of our Isle of Palms luxury rentals, I highly recommend arriving to the island this way, over the IOP Connector. It’s lovely.
Run, walk or bike the James Island Connector near your beach house Charleston
Run or walk a connector near your beach house Charleston
Running or walking is an especially scenic way to cross over the marshes, creeks and Intracoastal Waterway between the IOP and Mount Pleasant. As the last BLOG outlined, the Isle of Palms Run and Walk for the Child was an ideal chance to do just that. You are also welcome to cross it by foot any time you’d like. Just be sure to stay on the shoulder and wear bright clothes or reflectors. If you’re heading to one of our luxury beach house rentals SC toward the end of the month, there’s another option to get a 5K/10K connector fix. And this one you can run, walk OR bike! It’s the 19th annual James Island Connector Run, and it will be taking place Saturday, October 28th. Registration is going on now - for a 10K run or bike race, and a 5K run or walk. This takes place on the other side of the Charleston peninsula from most of our beach house rentals Charleston SC on the IOP. Registration is happening now, and proceeds go to a very deserving charity, the Gavalas Kalanko Foundation, which gives scholarships to local students with physical disabilities. They make it possible for them to attend such schools as College of Charleston, Charleston Southern University, The Citadel, Trident Technical College, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and the Art Institute of Charleston. The Foundation has given out 134 scholarships and raised over $800,000 since their inception. A cool aside - dogs are welcome to run along your side in the 10K! There will also be live music and food vendors and a fun afterparty. Pre/post-race events happen at Cannon Park off Calhoun Street downtown. The start and finish lines are at Bennett Street near Ashley Avenue. 
Course Description not far from your beach house Charleston
10K (Run & Fun Bike Ride) - The 10K run starts at Cannon Park near the corner of Ashley Ave. & Bennett St. Participants will run west on Bennett St., turn right on Barre St., and left on Calhoun St. toward the Connector. The runners will continue on the Connector toward the Folly Rd. exit. Just past the Harbor View Rd. entrance, they will bear left continuing on the Connector. Before the Folly Rd. exit, the runners will turn left on the grassy median and circle back on the Connector. The runners will exit the Connector on Calhoun St., will continue on Calhoun St., turn right on Barre St., left on Bennett St. and finish at Cannon Park. 5K (Run & Walk) - The 5K run and walk starts at Cannon Park near the corner of Ashley Ave. and Bennett St. Participants will run west on Bennett St., turn right on Barre St., and left on Calhoun St. toward the Connector. The runners will continue on the Connector towards the Folly Rd. exit. Just past the Harbor View Rd. entrance, they will bear right, continuing on the Connector. The finish line is past the Harbor View Rd. entrance, before the Folly Rd. exit. Buses will be stationed near the Folly Rd. exit. They'll transport the 5K finishers to Cannon Park for the post-race party. Here’s a map of the course: http://www.jicrun.com/the-course/ By the way, it’s the only point-to-point 5K in the state of South Carolina, and it’s a very fast course. The Connector will be closed from 8:15 till 10:15 a.m. on the day of the race. Here’s the event’s website: http://www.jicrun.com/ and their Facebook page. You can register online here. And as always, call EP when you’re in the market for great rental homes South Carolina, especially if you’re looking for a luxury house on Isle of Palms. We’ll “connect” you with the perfect beach house Charleston. All best, Lowcountry Lisa your Isle of Palms vacation blogger