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Illinois > Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon, 10K
& 5K
Quincy, IL
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Date
Saturday, May 8, 2010
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 May,
monthly temperatures average between 75°F and 51°F,
while precipitation amounts average about 4.6 inches for the month.
Fees
N/A
Registration
Registration for the spring 2009 running of Quincy's Bridge the Gap to
Health races is now closed, as the event has completed. Please check
back for updated information on how to sign up for the 2010 running of
the race.
Website
www.bridgethegaptohealth.com
Course Map
View Larger Map
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Your Race Story
Ever run in Illinois' annual Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon?
Share
your impressions and read fellow runners' stories
and tips for the event.
Post your comments in Runner Reviews for the Bridge the Gap to
Health Half Marathon
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