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Student aims to conquer Cooper River Bridge Run

by Donna Bailey, Public Relations

Mix a physician assistant student and a professional distance runner and you’ve got a man completely on the run. Witness Eric Ashton.

At 4:15 a.m. Ashton starts his day with a strenuous workout, then puts in the additional strains of at least 13 more hours as a full-time student.

He is not content to run marathons. He wins them.

Ashton is a first year physician assistant student with graduation plans for August 2000. For the past three years he has won the Carolina Marathon. His next challenge is conquering Saturday's 22nd Annual Cooper River Bridge Run.

“It’s very exciting to be in Charleston the months or weeks prior to this race,” said Ashton. “Everywhere you go or anybody you talk to is talking about the bridge run.”

This is his fifth time running the 10K over the Cooper River and each time is still challenging.

“World-class talent comes to Charleston for this race,” he said, alluding particularly to the professional runners from Kenya. “For these world champions this is their life, it’s their everything. I am challenged but I don’t feel that pressure.”

For Ashton, keeping relaxed and positive is a big part of competing well. He recalls what it was like to be on a bus headed to the starting line with 30 world-class athletes. “The tension for them was very serious. I’m fortunate that I’m not worrying about how I’m going to feed my family or pay the bills based on the outcome of this race.”

Already holding a masters degree in exercise physiology, Ashton’s priorities lie with medicine. What brought him to the PA program? His answer was clear: “Typically, the people in our class fit the mode of very caring people who have a heart for medicine,” he said. “They come across this profession, and they say to themselves, this is wonderful, this is something I want to do.”

“Running is a gift from God,” he continues. “I’m just fortunate enough to have a talent that the Medical University and Charleston seem to cherish.”