GTC Memorial Day - Honor Tower Mile

Events

$30

$20

7:00AM EDT 8:30AM EDT

215 spots left. Price increases after May 13, 2027 at 11:59pm EDT

Description

The 4th annual GTC Memorial Day - Honor Tower Mile will be held on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, 2027. The event pays tribute to our fallen service members, and to our first responders.

As a competitive 1-mile race, it is in good alignment with a national movement afoot - to Bring Back the Mile - America's distance (1-2).

Not as fast as you'd like to be yet? No problem, all speeds are welcome.

John Hart
Race Director
Email: MDMdirector@greenvilletrackclub.com

References

1. Bring Back the Mile: America's Distance. Available at: https://www.bringbackthemile.com/home

2. NPR. A Campaign To Bring Back 'America's Distance': The 1-Mile Race. Available at: https://www.npr.org/2014/06/06/319512432/a-campaign-to-bring-back-americas-distance-the-1-mile-race

The plane in the photo above is part of a memorial in Cleveland Park in Greenville, South Carolina honoring Major Rudolf Anderson Jr., United States Air Force for his service and ultimate sacrifice during the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962). Major Anderson, from Greenville, SC, was the only combat casualty during the standoff, and is credited with saving the lives of millions, as explained by historians here:

How the death of a U.S. Air Force pilot prevented a nuclear war. History. Available at: https://www.history.com/news/the-cuban-missile-crisis-pilot-whose-death-may-have-saved-millions

Place

The Kroc Center
424 Westfield Street
Greenville, SC US 29601

Route

The race will start in groups according to runners' estimated finish times, with a 15-30 second interval between starts. The first group will start at 7:00 AM. All groups will be lined up by 6:55 AM.

5 minutes or less
5-6 minutes
6-7 minutes
7-8 minutes
8-9 minutes
9 minutes or more

The route is flat, out-and-back.

Start in the paved Kroc lot on S. Hudson St.

Cross S. Hudson St heading west into Unity Park, on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Go for a half mile and turn around on the white line in between two traffic cones under the railroad bridge, as shown in image below.

Finish back at the Kroc lot.

Click on "Route" above for interactive map.

Packet pick up, parking, and restrooms

Please see map below for details.

Packet pick

Will be held in the east part of the paved Kroc lot along S. Hudson Street on Sunday afternoon, May 30, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

It will also be held on race day morning but only from 6:00 - 6:30 AM, also in the Kroc lot.

Parking

Is available along S. Hudson St on either side of the Kroc lot - the gravel lot to the north of the paved Kroc lot, and at the school lot to the south of the paved lot.

Limited parking will be permitted for volunteers and participants in the south part of the paved Kroc lot. Your "ticket" to get in will be for you to give a thumbs-up signal to the parking lot attendant when you approach the entrance.

Parking is also available in lots adjacent to the Kroc Center main building and also at Unity Park.

Restrooms

Two portable restrooms are located between the Kroc lot and Kroc soccer field.

The Kroc Center main building will be doing us a favor by opening at 6:10 AM with restrooms available there.

Restrooms are also available at Unity Park near the playground.

Awards

Chip time and clock time will be used but chip time is what all awards are based on, including overall awards. There will be a chip timing mat for both start and finish. Here are the categories:

Overall top 3 male and female

Masters, grandmasters, and senior grandmasters top male and female

Age groups, top 3 male and female:

14 and under

15-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50-59

60-69

70-79

80+

The awards ceremony will begin around 7:45 AM in the Kroc lot.

Race Contact Info

If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.

Q & A

Q. Is there a limit on number of runners?

A. Yes, 215.

Q. Are dogs allowed?

A. Unfortunately, our insurance coverage does not allow for this.

Q. Are strollers allowed?

A. For safety reasons, including safety of the child, strollers are not recommended. However, parents and caregivers with strollers should gravitate toward the back at the starting area.