Details on the 2011 Palmetto200 Relay

Friends have told me that the Blue Ridge Relay Race -- a 208-mile team event that traverses the Blue Ridge and Black Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina -- is among the greatest running and bonding experiences they've ever had.

Registration for the fall event opens Dec. 1, but there's another opportunity to grab a bunch of friends for a similar experience in the springtime:

The Palmetto200 Relay is an endurance running relay event where teams of up to 12 people run 200 miles, broken up into 36 legs, from Columbia to Charleston, S.C. The race will be held April 8-9.

Co-organizer Brian Malak says "runners get to experience some of the most beautiful and historic scenery South Carolina has to offer, from the rolling hills in the midlands, to the coastal marshes and beaches of the low country, to historic downtown Charleston."

Last year, 37 teams competed in the inaugural Palmetto200. The winner? Team Crazy Legs, an six-man ultra team from Charlotte that finished in 25 hours and 35 minutes (average pace of 7:37 for the 201-mile course).

More information about the race can be found here. Registration is now open here. Cost is $800 for teams of 7-12 prior to Feb. 1 ($400 for teams of six or less); thereafter, fees are $1,000 for a full team and $500 for an ultra team. Sign-up deadline is March 10.