Saturday, May 13, 2023 • Quincy, IL • Course Map
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 Quincy 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 green spaces — 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, Quincy typically sees warming but still often cold weather conditions in the early spring. In May, record temperatures here have fallen as low as 33°F (in 2005) and risen as high as 92°F (in 2006).
- May 13 average low temp: 56ºF
- May 13 average high temp: 72ºF
Past Results
- 2018 Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon Results
- 2017 Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon Results
- 2016 Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon Results
- 2015 Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon Results
- 2014 Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon Results
- 2013 Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon Results
- 2012 Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon Results
- 2011 Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon Results
Course Map
See the race route map for the Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon here.
Starting Time
- 7:30 AM – half marathon
- 7:45 AM – 10K
- 8:00 AM – 5K
- 9:30 AM – kids fun run
Fees
- $55 and up – half marathon
- $40 and up – 10K
- $35 and up – 5K
Registration
To reserve your spot in the 2023 running of Quincy’s Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon, 10K or 5K race, register online at RaceRoster.com here.
Official Race Website
Comments
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