Carolina Reaper Challenge

Civic Center - Sports Complex

Anderson South Carolina

Hottest Race this side of 6 Feet Under!

Welcome to the Annual Carolina Reaper Challenge event! We are pleased to bring a new and exciting twist to four different distances including the 50k, the full marathon, half marathon distance, and 5 mile. This will be great for the first time finishers of these distances as well as give a new challenge to all the speed demons out there! If you have done it in the cold why not test your grit in the heat! We have simply duplicated the Snowbird Challenge for all you true southern heat seekers out there!

This will be the same race format as our Snowbird Challenge that is held in the winter but simply doing it in the sun chasing heat of the summer! We will toe the line as individuals or as teams to complete the 2.62 mile loop in our 45 minute time format! There will be plenty of space to spread out between laps with water and a few gallons of tailwind and ice to keep you cool! We HIGHLY encourage all participants to bring a bag of ice for our community kitty pool that we will have soaked towels to cool off between laps. 

Referral Program

Invite your running buddies! When you register you will be assigned a link/code that you can share with your friends & family. The link will appear in your confirmation message, your email, and in your RunSignUp profile! Use your unique referral code to share with your running buddies! For every every 2 participants that use your referral code/link to register you will receive a $5 refund to your registration! Refer enough runners and RUN FOR FREE! 

• Share Your Referral Codes - HERE

Event Details

• What: Timed Format Loop 50k - 13.1 - 10k - Relay 

• Where: Civic Center of Anderson - Sports Complex

• Address: 144 Civic Center Blvd, Anderson, SC 29621

• When: July 13th 2024

• Packet Pickup: 1 Hour Prior to your race start time near starting line

• Race Start Times

  • Death Pepper 50k - 9:00am

  • Carolina Reaper Marathon Relay - 10:30am

  • Ghost Pepper Half Marathon - 2:15pm

  • Jalapeno 10k - 4:30pm

• Event Shirts - Our local apparel vendor (Graphic Cow) will be processing all shirt orders. Please follow the link below to pre-order a shirt from the list of races. All race specific shirts will be mailed directly to your home address after the event to commemorate your race experience! The store link will be open until the Monday after each race.

  • SHIRT ORDER FORM HERE

Address and Parking - 144 Civic Center Blvd, Anderson, SC 29621

Follow Event Parking arrows down Jim Ed Rice Parkway to the 4 Baseball Field and Tennis/Pickleball Court Parking. When you enter the Civic center complex you will make your way to the athletic center with the 4 baseball fields and 4 tennis courts. Please look for event parking signs that will guide you there.

Participant Experience

Join our race for an unforgettable running experience! All participants will receive a handcrafted finisher medal to show off an unforgettable course and race experience. At packet pickup your swag bag will be complete with custom stickers, race bib, and crew socks. There will be music at both the start and finish of your event to energize your experience. Make sure to smile because all of our runners will receive complementary race photos along the course. 

Finisher Medal - Complimentary Race Photos - Custom Bib - Race Specific Crew Socks - Event & Upstate Race Series Stickers - Sponsored Giveaways - Raffled Items during the awards ceremony for both Age Group Awards and Overall Winners - Music and Post Race food truck on site while you hangout and cheer on other runners! 

Lap Schedule for Live Event

• Lap 1 - 9:00am 50k Start Time

• Lap 2 - 9:45am

• Lap 3 - 10:30am Marathon Relay

• Lap 4 - 11:15pm

• Lap 5 - 12:00pm

• Lap 6 - 12:45pm

• Lap 7 - 1:30pm

• Lap 8 - 2:15pm Half Marathon

• Lap 9 - 3:00pm

• Lap 10 - 3:45pm

• Lap 11 - 4:30pm Jalapeño Start

• Lap 12 - 5:15pm

Carolina Reaper Race Format

• The race loop is 2.62 miles from start to finish. 

• Each race has a designated number of laps to complete

  • 50k (12 Loops)

  • Marathon Relay(10 Loops)

  • Half Marathon (5 Loops)

  • 5 Mile (2 Loops)

• The Timer will Ring the Kettle Bell starting at 9am

• He will continue to ring the bell 12 times every 45 minutes

• At the beginning of each loop runners will  given 45 minutes to complete the loop. 

• If a runner fails to complete the loop under 45 minutes they will be disqualified 

• All runners must wait until the top of the 45 minute mark to start their next loop. 

• If you complete your loop in 25 minutes you will have to wait 20 minutes before the next loop. 

• If you complete your loop in 40 minutes you will have a 5 minute break. Ya dig? 

• The first race will start at 9:00am with the 50k runners 

• The personal tent area is located directly behind the start and finish lines

Carolina Reaper Course Description - Course Map - HERE

The course at the Civic Center of Anderson Sports Complex consists of paved walking paths and a small section of road. Runners have the option to run in the grass on the walking paths if you want some softer running. The course gains 100 feet of elevation per the 2.62 mile loop. The course starts and finishes on the back side of the baseball headquarters at the Sports Complex. The course will showcase walking paths along the tennis court, the community park, two ponds, an old haunted house, and finish in the middle of the 4 baseball fields. This location will have indoor bathrooms, an area for runners to place a 10 x 10 canopy tent for shade in the grass, and a convenient location adjacent to the parking lot for a quick pit stop at your car if needed. The concessions will be open for runners to grab a soft drink, sports drink, snacks, and/or hot dog and hamburger. 

Aid Stations

There is one aid station at the start and finish line. Items may include: pickles, cookies, chips, Little Debbie snacks, assorted candy, chicken/veggie broth, fig newtons, & pretzels. Liquids will include water, Tailwind Nutrition, coke, and ginger ale. If you would like to donate an aid station supply of something that we do not offer or that is homemade feel free! Cup-less Event: Please provide your own hydration vessel for use at our aid stations 

Race Awards, Age Group Point Series, Chip Timing

• Top 3 Male and Female Overall

• Top 3 Male & Female Age Group

• Age Group Categories

  • 0-9

  • 10-12

  • 13-16

  • 17-19

  • 20-29

  • 30-34

  • 35-39

  • 40-44

  • 45-49

  • 50-54

  • 55-59

  • 60-64

  • 65-69

  • 70-79

  • 80+

• Upstate Road Series - Age Group Point Series Standings - HERE