Greenbrier, Striders hold race Saturday

Local runners will have the opportunity to re-live history Saturday.

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The Greenbrier High School cross country team and the Augusta Striders running club will hold the 30th Pinch Gut Puffer, a 7.5k race starting at 9 a.m.

The race, which typically draws 200-300 runners each year, will begin at Standard Textile in Augusta and end at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church downtown. The course is plotted along the Riverwalk.

The race was named for Revolutionary War figure Private Robert J. Puffer, who ran messages between American forces who were marching on British troops stationed at Reynolds Street. Pinch Gut is the downtown area known for its corset-clad Southern women during the 18th and 19th centuries.

On May 28, 1781, Puffer was asked to run from the vicinity of where the race starts to Sandbar Ferry Road to tell Gen. "Light Horse Harry" Lee and Col. Elijah Clark to begin their attack. The 19-year-old Puffer made the run in 28 minutes.

The top male and female finishers who break Puffer's time Saturday while dressed in Revolutionary War costume will win a cash prize.

Registration costs $20. More information can be found at www.pinchgutpuffer.com.