Brent Alexander

serving up perspective //

smashing the doubt

Tag: Greenville

Celebrating stories, reflections, and experiences rooted in the vibrant culture, community, and surroundings of Greenville, South Carolina.

5K PR Fueled by Fiesta

Most people celebrate Cinco de Mayo with tacos and tequila. I celebrated mine with a free group run and a surprise PR.

The 5K run was hosted by Run In Greenville and New Balance, held at the always lively Double Stamp Brewery. It was one of those perfect spring evenings where the vibes were light and the energy was high. The kind of night where you show up expecting a social jog, and somehow end up racing the clock.

The real wildcard? New Balance brought some demos, and I couldn’t resist trying out the FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4s. The moment I laced them up, my legs said “¡Vámonos!”

I wasn’t planning to push the pace, but the bounce in those carbon-plated super shoes said otherwise. Whether it was the shoe technology, the vibes from the crowd, or the Cinco magic—I found myself cruising faster than I’ve ever run a 5K.

Previous 5K PR: 26:13

Cinco de Mayo: Sub-26, baby.

Yeah, yeah, my Apple Watch says 3.09 miles. Haters can take it up with the GPS gods. The real takeaway? My pace was 7 seconds per mile faster than my previous PR, and I felt smooth the entire way.

Was it the shoes? The placebo? The CINCO magic?

Don’t know. Don’t care.

All I know is: FAST is FUN.

Big thanks to Run In Greenville, New Balance, and Double Stamp Brewery for putting on a great event. I’ll definitely be back for more group runs—and maybe another PR or two. 🌮✨

Photos by CITIZEN MEDIA CO. Full gallery here.

May 8, 2025
Moving For Mental Health

This Saturday, May 3rd, a small group of us will gather in downtown Greenville, SC, for a 5K meetup in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. I wanted to take a moment to share why this matters.

The event is part of the Move For It 5K, a nationwide virtual campaign organized by To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), a nonprofit that exists to bring hope, help, and mental health resources to those who are struggling.

We’ll meet at Run-In on E. Washington Street and move together along the Swamp Rabbit Trail — not racing, just showing up. The pace doesn’t matter. What matters is the intention behind the movement: to remind ourselves and others that people need other people.

This campaign isn’t about miles or medals — it’s about mental health. It’s about creating space for hard conversations, showing solidarity with those in pain, and moving in the name of hope.

I’m sharing this because I believe storytelling can spark connection. If you’re reading this and mental health is something you care about — or something you’ve personally struggled with — I invite YOU to follow along, reflect, share, or donate if you feel called.

💚 You can learn more or support the cause at:
👉 https://give.twloha.com/greenvillesc

🤙 Follow along on social:
📸 https://instagram.com/brentalexander

This weekend, we move not just for ourselves, but for anyone who needs to know they’re not alone. If you’re struggling, please know that hope is real, help is real, and your story is important.

And if you’re local and want to move with us — it’s not too late!

We’ll start at 7:30 AM at Run-In in downtown Greenville. Just show up ready to run, walk, or simply be part of something meaningful. See you on the trail! 🏃‍♂️

May 1, 2025
Freedom In Motion

“How many years can some people exist before they’re allowed to be free?”
– Dylan

55:08 | 10K | New PR

12 minutes faster than December.

I didn’t just run.
I broke loose.
From the weight I used to carry.
From the me that thought this wasn’t possible.

With every step, I remembered:
I’m allowed to fly.
The cage was never locked.

Freedom in motion.
Not just a mantra—
a reckoning.

I’m not finding myself.
I’m freeing myself.

I’m free to move
without asking for permission.
I’m free to chase what lights me up
instead of what weighs me down.
I’m free to live within my own cadence,
not someone else’s expectation.
I’m free to take up space.
Fully. Unapologetically.
I’m free to run toward myself,
not away from doubt.
I’m free to speak my truth.
Stand in my fire. Never shrinking back.
I’m free to become more me
with every step forward.
I’m free to define my own finish line
and to crush it on my own terms.

“How many roads must a man walk down?”
“How many years must a mountain exist?”
“How many deaths will it take till he knows?”
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.

Existence can be fleeting.
But it doesn’t have to be.

Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Change is the key to unlock destiny.

A fork in the road.
Rain on the mountain.
Sudden and unexpected loss.

Some bring bliss.
Some bring heartache.
All bring change.

And it’s up to the traveler to decide the road.
It’s up to the climber to choose the path.
It’s up to the survivor to keep moving forward.

It’s up to the soul to rise on the zephyr,
embracing what was always within reach.

This is my wind.
And with it, I fly.

April 23, 2025
A Step On The Ladder: A Win Worth Building On

I laced up my shoes before the sun came up and headed downtown for a race I’d been preparing for but wasn’t obsessing over. It wasn’t the big one circled on my calendar — just another step in my half-marathon training plan. I’ve done plenty of 5Ks before, so I felt calm and confident, ready for the test ahead.

The cool air was alive with the energy of other runners, all with their own reasons for showing up. Some were chasing medals, others chasing fitness. For me, it was simple: I came to get better. I came to run fast. A light rain had started to fall, adding a sharp edge to the cold morning. It soaked the pavement and clung to my clothes, but it didn’t matter. Rain, cold, or discomfort — they were just part of the challenge.

When the race started, the rhythm came easy. One step, then another. Downtown Greenville blurred around me, the familiar streets transformed by the pounding of feet and the cheer of onlookers. I wasn’t thinking about the finish line, not yet. I focused on breathing, pace, and staying steady.

Midway through, that familiar tug of doubt crept in. My legs ached. I glanced at my watch and noticed how far ahead of pace I was. My mind whispered that slowing down was fine, that I’d already done enough. But here’s the thing about training for anything worth doing — you learn to quiet the voices that beg for comfort. I kept going.

When I crossed the finish line, I looked at my watch: 28:38. A new personal record.

It felt good. Better than good.

But not because of the number itself — I know a PR isn’t the goal. It’s a rung on a much taller ladder. The real prize is still 32 days away, on a longer course, with a bigger test waiting.

32 days.

32 chances to show up.

32 opportunities to grind.

Every training run, every mile logged, is a step closer to the race that matters. The lesson I took from my last race is simple but powerful: Progress doesn’t come from chasing perfection; it comes from relentless persistence.

I’ve got 32 days to embrace the work. To rise before the sun. To push my limits.

I proved I’m stronger than I was before. And next time, I’ll be stronger still.

The work continues...

January 28, 2025

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