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Illinois > Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Quincy, IL
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Date

Saturday, April 12, 2008



Event Details

A hilly and sometimes quite challenging run that crosses the mighty Mississippi River not once but twice over the course of the race, the aptly named Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon offers not just a 13.1-mile race but also a 10K for runners and a 5K for both runners and walkers -- and for both competitive and leisure walkers.

Run along a mostly north-south course along the banks of the river in this central Illinois town, the race follows an out-and-back course that starts and finishes at Clat Adams Bicentennial Park downtown on Front Street, between Vermont and Hampshire Streets. From there, the race makes its two crossings of the Bay Bridge over the Mississippi (which connects Quincy with West Quency in the state of Missouri), returning immediately back over the bridge for the remainder of the race.

After making their way back into Illinois, runners then follow the course through a series of urban parks and greenspaces -- including Riverview Park, All-American City Park, Gardner Park and Parker Heights Park. Runners follow Route 7 (which turns into Bayview Drive) for the next several miles until reaching the turnaround point at about the mile 8 marker, near the intersection with Boy Scout Road. From there, the race takes runners back along the route they've just run, back to the finish line downtown at Clat Adams Park.

Participants need to be prepared to run some hilly stretches, as the race features some occasionally steep changes in elevation -- the course rises from a low of about 463 feet to a peak of 582 feet above sea level. Perhaps the steepest hills occur between miles 1 and 2 and between miles 9 and 11, with the highest points occuring just before mile 3 and just after mile 11.

As a side note, this race should be especially fun for runners with a literary bent, especially fans of Mark Twain, as this stretch of the Mississippi is part of the land made famous in Twain's novels like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.


Race Weather & Climate

Set on the banks of the Mississippi just across the river from Missouri in the central part of the state, the town of Quincy sees warming but still often cold weather conditions in the early spring. In April, monthly temperatures average between 65°F and 41°F, while precipitation amounts average about 3.48 inches for the month.


Fees

$40 if registered by April 4, 2008
$45 after April 4


Registration

To reserve your spot in the 2008 running of the Bridge the Gap to Health races (for the half, the 10K or the 5K), register online at Active.com or print out and mail in this downloadable application.


Website

www.bridgethegaptohealth.com

View race photos from the 2007 Bridge the Gap race


Course Map


View Larger Map



Share Your Race Story

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