How the Ville to Ville Coastal Relay Works

The Ville to Ville Coastal Relay is a one-day road race covering approximately 68 miles through the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Along the way, teams experience charming Southern towns, scenic roads, and a memorable finish-line celebration in Mount Pleasant.

Teams consist of three to six runners who divide the course’s 12 legs, which range from approximately 3 to 9 miles each. The first wave of teams begins around 5:00 a.m. in Summerville, South Carolina. Additional teams depart over the next several hours based on their estimated pace. Teams typically reach the finish line in Mount Pleasant between 2:00 and 7:00 p.m., where music, food, and drinks await.

Relay Format

Teams complete the 68-mile course by rotating runners through 12 legs and 11 transition points. A transition point is a designated location where one runner passes the team wristband to the next runner.

For example, on a six-person team:

• Runner #1 completes Leg #1 and hands the wristband to Runner #2 at Transition #1.

• Runner #2 completes Leg #2 and hands the wristband to Runner #3 at Transition #2.

• The rotation continues until Runner #6 completes Leg #6.

• Runner #6 then hands the wristband back to Runner #1, who begins Leg #7.

The rotation continues until all 12 legs are complete and the team reaches the finish line. On a six-person team, each runner completes two legs. Teams with fewer runners will divide the legs accordingly.

All teams use the same transition points, which are staffed by race officials and volunteers.

Team Vehicle

What happens to the runners who are not currently on the course? They travel together in one team vehicle, provided by the team.

Yes, that means all of your runners share a vehicle throughout the day. Trust us: it is one of the most memorable parts of the relay experience.

Here is how it works:

Your team vehicle arrives at the starting area and drops off Runner #1. The rest of the team then drives ahead to Transition #1 and parks in the designated area so Runner #2 can warm up. After Runner #1 arrives and passes the wristband to Runner #2, Runner #1 cools down and rejoins the team in the vehicle.

The vehicle then travels to Transition #2, where Runner #3 prepares for the next handoff. This process continues throughout the day until your team completes all 12 legs and reaches the finish line.

Each team is limited to one vehicle on the course. Based on our experience with relay events, we strongly recommend using a large SUV or passenger van. For safety and logistical reasons, RVs, minibusses, and limousines are not permitted. Some transition-area parking lots cannot safely accommodate oversized or extra-long vehicles.

Team Support

Because of the nature of the event, teams are largely self-supported. Your team should bring its own water, sports drinks, food, and any other supplies needed throughout the day.

Although your vehicle’s primary purpose is transportation, it also serves as your team’s home base between legs. With limited time at some transition areas, the vehicle is usually the best place to refuel, rehydrate, change clothes, and prepare for the next leg.

Team Captain

Each team must designate a captain. Registration begins with the captain, who signs up the team. Individual runners will complete their registrations and join the team online after the captain has registered.

The captain serves as the team’s primary point of contact and is responsible for sharing important updates and instructions with the rest of the team. Because relay events involve many moving parts, the captain also helps ensure that:

• The team roster is complete.

• Estimated pace information is submitted.

• Registration fees are paid.

• Team members receive important race details.

The Ville to Ville Coastal Relay registration fee covers the entire team. Until approximately three months before the event, most race communication will be sent to team captains. After that point, all registered runners will begin receiving event updates directly.

Questions?

We hope this overview helps you understand how the Ville to Ville Coastal Relay works. Please email us at info@villetovillerelay.com with any questions. We are happy to help.