41st TD Bank Reedy River Run

Pardon Ndhlovu. Photo: Greenville News

Ester Atkins. Photo: Greenville News

It was one of those perfect running mornings in beautiful Greenville, South Carolina for the 41st running of the TD Bank Reedy River Run on Saturday, April 21. Both the 5K and 10K races were "sold out" as registrations reached their 1500 and 1600 runner limits on Thursday before the race. The race was once again sponsored by TD Bank, presented by the Greenville News and produced by the 46-year-old Greenville Track Club in conjunction with multiple partners. 

Using a revised course which exchanged the notorious climb up Falls Drive and Broad Street for another long climb up Furman College Way in Falls Park, the runners were definitely challenged. The men's lead pack separated on the long downhill on E. Washington Street heading down to the entrance to Cleveland Park. Zimbabwe Olympian Pardon Ndhlovu broke away from Greenville's Austin Steagall and Ricky Flynn and opened a small gap that he would not relinquish. He maintained his lead up the Furman College Way hill and down Augusta and S. Main Streets before breaking the finish tape with a time of 30:43. He was closely followed by Steagall, the 2017 race winner, and Flynn with times of 30:51 and 30:53, respectively. 

Greenville's Ester Atkins easily won the women's division with a time of 35:27. Ester was the 2014 USATF Marathon Champion and is a 3-time USA Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier. She was followed by Asheville, NC's Ginna Reid (36:54), who also won the women's Masters (40-0ver) title. Easley, SC's OG Gardner placed third and was a mere one-second behind Reid. 

​Full results are available @ results.rmraces.live/SVE-Timing-East/events/2018/41st-Annual-TD-Bank-Reedy-River-Run/results