When is it? Saturday March 29th, 2025

Where is it? Vertex PT Specialists in Cayce, SC (located across from Krispy Kreme)

Who is it for? Anyone looking to test their strength and endurance, PR their 5K, or just come out to run/walk and have a good time!

The Vertex Pump & Run is an event that measures overall fitness by testing both strength and endurance.

In the competition, participants bench press a percentage of their body weight. Each lift (up to a maximum of 30 reps) reduces their 5-kilometer run time by 30 seconds. There will be ten (10) age/gender divisions. Depending on age, men must bench press 60% to 100% of their weight, and women 40% to 70% of their weight.

Weigh-in and bench press begin at 7:00 a.m. The running portion of the 5K Pump & Run starts at 8:30 a.m. Participants can choose to register for the 5K run/walk only, which also starts at 8:30 a.m.

The 5K race will be timed by Strictly Running and is part of Columbia Running Club’s Tour de Columbia. The race will start and finish at Vertex PT.

Entry to the Pump & Run or the Vertex 5K includes a T-shirt that is guaranteed if you register before March 10th!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Example:

• A 45-year-old female who weighs in at 150 lbs will bench press 60% of her bodyweight for reps, which is 90 lbs.
• She successfully bench presses 90 lbs for 15 reps.
• She then runs a 5k and finishes in 24 minutes.
• Her recorded time is therefore 16 minutes and 30 seconds, after reducing her 5k time by 7 minutes and 30 seconds due to her 15 successful bench press reps.

BENCH PRESS RULES

1. Starting Position
   • The lifter must lie on their back with their head, shoulders, and buttocks in contact with the bench surface.
   • The lifter’s feet must be flat on the floor. If a lifter’s feet cannot comfortably or securely reach the floor due to height, blocks may be placed under their feet to provide a stable and level surface. These blocks must not elevate the heels higher than a natural flat-foot position.
   • Shoes must not have excessively thick soles that artificially elevate the heels.
2. Grip and Bar Position
   • The lifter’s eyes must be directly under the barbell when positioned on the bench.
   • The grip width of the barbell is not specified, but it must be evenly distributed on both sides of the lifter’s body.
   • The lifter must use a thumb-around grip, which must be maintained throughout the lift.
3. Lift Execution
   • The barbell must be lifted from the rack stands and lowered under control to touch the lifter’s chest.
   • The lifter must press the bar upward immediately from the chest to the fully locked-out position with elbows extended. One repetition is counted when the barbell reaches this locked-out position.
   • The lifter must hold the bar steady in the locked-out position before lowering it back to the chest. Resting on the chest is not allowed.
   • A maximum of 30 unbroken reps is permitted. If the lifter racks the bar or requires assistance, their score will be the total number of completed reps.
4. Spotting and Safety
   • A spotter will be present for safety and must intervene only if the lifter requests assistance or cannot complete the lift.
   • The lifter’s score will reflect the last fully completed repetition before racking or requiring spotter intervention.
5. Special Accommodations for Shorter Lifters
   • Lifters who are unable to securely place their feet flat on the floor due to height are permitted to use blocks under their feet to achieve a stable position. The blocks must ensure a natural, flat-footed stance without elevating the heels artificially.
   • The blocks used must be approved by event organizers to ensure consistency and fairness.

COURSE MAP

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR TITLE SPONSOR!

We are thrilled to have the Samuels Reynolds Law Firm as the title sponsor for the Vertex Pump & Run. Their unwavering support for local events like ours demonstrates their commitment to strengthening our community.

As a locally owned boutique law firm based in Columbia, SC, Samuels Reynolds Law Firm specializes in workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. With over 57 years of combined experience, they offer personalized attention, in-depth knowledge, and skilled legal representation to clients across South Carolina.

If you or a loved one need trusted legal guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to them at 803.779.4000 or visit their website at samuelsreynolds.com.

Thank you, Samuels Reynolds Law Firm, for helping make the Vertex Pump & Run possible!

When is it? Saturday April 15th

Where is it? Vertex PT Specialists in Cayce, SC (located across from Krispy Kreme)

Who is it for? Anyone looking to test their strength and endurance, PR their 5K, or just come out to run/walk and have a good time!

The Vertex Pump & Run is an event that measures overall fitness by testing both strength and endurance.

In the competition, participants bench press a percentage of their body weight. Each lift (up to a maximum of 30 reps) reduces their 5-kilometer run time by 30 seconds. There will be ten (10) age/gender divisions. Depending on age, men must bench press 60% to 100% of their weight, and women 40% to 70% of their weight.

Weigh-in and bench press begin at 7:00 a.m. The running portion of the 5K Pump & Run starts at 8:00 a.m. Participants can choose to register for the 5K run/walk only, which also starts at 8:00 a.m.

The 5K race will be timed by Strictly Running and is part of Columbia Running Club’s Tour de Columbia. The race will start and finish at Vertex PT.

Entry to the Pump & Run or the Vertex 5K includes a T-shirt that is guaranteed if you register before April 1st!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Example:

• A 45-year-old female who weighs in at 150 lbs will bench press 60% of her bodyweight for reps, which is 90 lbs.
• She successfully bench presses 90 lbs for 15 reps.
• She then runs a 5k and finishes in 24 minutes.
• Her recorded time is therefore 16 minutes and 30 seconds, after reducing her 5k time by 7 minutes and 30 seconds due to her 15 successful bench press reps.

BENCH PRESS RULES

• The lifter must lie on their back with their head, shoulders, and buttocks in contact with the bench surface. The lifter’s feet must be flat on the floor, and the shoes must not have an excessively thick sole that could elevate the heels. The lifter must position themselves correctly on the bench so that their eyes are directly under the bar.
• The grip width of the barbell is not specified, but it must be evenly distributed on both sides of the lifter’s body. The lifter must grip the bar with both hands using a thumb-around grip. This grip must be maintained throughout the lift.
• The lift begins when the barbell is lifted from the rack stands and lowered to the lifter’s chest. The lifter must lower the bar under control to touch their chest, and then immediately press the bar upward until their elbows are fully extended.
• One repetition is counted when the lifter lifts the bar from their chest to the fully “locked out” position with the elbows extended. The lifter must hold the bar steady in this position before lowering the bar back down to their chest.
• The lifter is allowed to rest at the top of the lift but not on the chest.
• The lifter can perform a maximum of 30 unbroken reps before racking the bar. If the lifter fails to complete 30 reps, their final score will be the total number of reps completed.
• A spotter will be present to ensure the lifter’s safety. The spotter must be ready to take the bar if the lifter cannot complete the rep or if the lifter requires assistance during the lift.
• If the lifter racks the weight or requires the use of a spotter, the bench press or “pump” portion is complete, and the lifter’s last full rep will be counted towards their final score.

Course Map (Click this link to zoom in).