Chicago Athlete hit the street to run in certainly one of Illinois’ top-rated marathons. The Quad Cities Marathon is at all times held on the fourth Sunday in September and brings out runners from all around the Midwest and past. This occasion is extremely inclusive because it presents a 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon relay, and marathon to take part in.
Though you possibly can make this a day journey, because it’s solely about 3 hours from the town, the race begins at 7am, so it’s simpler to make this an in a single day journey. That is what I did, leaving on Saturday with my household and embarking to the quad cities. Rock Island, Moline, Davenport, and Bettendorf make up the quad cities, with 2 cities in Illinois and a couple of in Iowa. This distinctive space is residence to the John Deere headquarters, the Mississippi River, and several other bar and restaurant strips.
Upon arrival, we went on to the expo for packet choose up. It was positioned at Vibrant Enviornment in Moline. I at all times respect when the expo is well accessible and near the beginning line. I prefer to map out the place every thing is positioned in order that race morning is a bit much less tense.
The expo was fairly massive with a number of distributors and races to enroll in. There was even an space filled with consolation canine, the place you possibly can spend time petting the lovely pups. We particularly have been keen on Jo Jo and Bodhi, whose favourite meals have been peanut butter and bacon. I really like that the Quad Cities Marathon brings within the consolation canine to assist ease the minds of nervous runners.
After the expo, we went on to our lodge, which is the right place to remain should you plan to run this race. The Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center is positioned just some blocks from the beginning/end line however is just not alongside the course. Which means that after you end your race, you’ll have no drawback leaving the lodge and driving to get meals, or in my household’s case, ice cream. Extra to return on that later, because the Quad Cities are residence to arguably, the perfect ice cream within the Midwest.
Stoney Creek is a series lodge, with related facilities in every location. I’ve excessive expectations within the resorts we keep at for marathon weekends, and Stoney Creek by no means disappoints. The rooms are spacious and accommodating for households. We at all times keep within the bunk mattress room, which permits us to keep away from getting two rooms. With a tween and teenage within the household, it’s now tough for us all to slot in one lodge room and we steadily must get adjoining rooms. The room additionally has a medium-sized fridge, microwave, and Keurig, in order that I can keep in charge of my food plan the evening earlier than and morning of the marathon.
The lodge has an indoor/outside pool, the place company can swim by way of the barrier to benefit from the outside pool space. There may be additionally a country sizzling tub enclosed with massive rock surroundings, making you’re feeling like you might be in a cabin setting. The lodge has a big exercise room with a treadmill, elliptical, and stationary bike. There may be additionally a full physique weight machine, stretching mats, and a foam curler.
One other bonus of this lodge is that it presents free breakfast, an amenity that touring households ought to at all times search for. It saves a lot cash to have the ability to feed everybody every morning, plus seize espresso to go.
After a dip within the pool, we walked just a few blocks to go to the John Deere Pavilion. It was a purposeful go to, as I additionally acquired to take a look at the beginning and end line, which was positioned proper subsequent to the pavilion. The pavilion is free to go to and showcases lots of the John Deere tractors and machines. It’s not a particularly massive or time consuming attraction, however it’s superb to see how massive lots of the machines are. And, you may climb into a lot of them to get the total influence of what it feels to function them. It’s additionally one of many cleanest museums I’ve ever been to.
You possibly can inform that John Deere is a vital a part of this group. One of many native excessive colleges had their homecoming dance on Saturday night and there have been college students taking footage on the John Deere pavilion, posing alongside the large corn huskers and tractors.
I’d extremely advocate a go to to the pavilion if you’re on the town for the marathon, however be certain that to test go to occasions. Each the museum and reward store closed promptly at 5 pm.
We discovered ourselves lacking residence, and have been capable of finding a restaurant in Bettendorf, Iowa, known as Old Chicago. The restaurant required a drive from the lodge, however it was solely 8 minutes away and allowed me to drive over a bridge, just like the one we’d be working over in the course of the marathon.
The menu was sturdy and had a number of wholesome choices for me. In addition they had gluten free pizza and wings with a number of completely different sauce choices. Outdated Chicago had numerous beers on faucet and the ambiance was enjoyable and low key. It was an amazing restaurant to spend the evening earlier than a marathon in. It could even have been an amazing restaurant to spend the evening after a marathon in!
We went again to the lodge after dinner in order that we may tuck in for the evening and prepare for an enormous race day. Earlier than going to sleep, I went all the way down to the load room to foam roll and stretch.
My children lifted some weights and made use of the cardio machines earlier than we turned in for the evening.
My alarm went off too shortly at 6am, prompting me to get off the bed and head to the beginning line. Staying at Stoney Creek allowed me to stroll out the door at 6:35 and arrive to the beginning corrals at 6:40 am.
Runners listened to the motivational speeches of a number of mayors and a pacesetter from the US Military. At 7 am, the marathon, marathon relay, and half marathon runners took off. The race started in downtown Moline, subsequent to the John Deere pavilion underneath clear skies and 60 levels.
Though the climate was predicted to remain cloudy, this didn’t keep true. By about mile 6, the solar was out and vibrant, heating up the course. The humidity was mid-level, however the solar was fixed all through the day. The course started with an out and again 6 miles the place runners have been handled to flat floor and will get a quick begin. We then turned onto the Centennial Bridge at mile 9. Runners climbed up and ran over the Mississippi River. It was stunning, should you may catch your breath after the climb.
Runners exited the bridge into Bettendorf, Iowa, the place we looped by way of a hilly set of residential neighborhoods. The hills have been small, however appeared endless till mile 16-17, the place we entered Davenport. We crossed one other bridge again into Illinois at mile 18-19. I actually struggled with the quantity of hills between miles 8 and 19, with the mix of the solar and humidity. I discovered myself slowing down and looking for some restoration as we entered the Rock Island arsenal.
This a part of the course was my absolute favourite. There was a show of military autos and we ran by way of a Nationwide Cemetary. It was an honor to be on the armory grounds and I’m so grateful that the Military allowed runners on.
We exited the grounds to complete the previous few miles by way of Rock Island and headed again to Moline to the end line. Runners have been greeted with a medal, useful volunteers, drinks, and snacks.
The Quad Cities Marathon has among the greatest assist stations that I’ve skilled. There are 25 assist stations which have water and Gatorade. Interspersed all through the course there’s additionally sweet and fruit. At two places I noticed lube stations and moist towels. And naturally porta potties are aptly stationed all through. You possibly can inform {that a} runner put a number of thought into the position and choices on the race’s assist stations.
Whereas there isn’t a large crowd lining the course, with the large variety of assist stations, you could have course help practically all the time. And, there have been so many spectators that got here out and adopted runners round to cheer them on at numerous factors of the course.
I’m so blissful to have run this race and I encourage you to place this one in your radar for subsequent September. The brand new course is difficult, however it’s scenic and ever altering. And, there’s an unimaginable quantity after all help from the race workers and volunteers. Thanks to the Quad Cities Marathon for placing on a protected and enjoyable occasion for runners.
After the race, I walked the few brief blocks again to my lodge to scrub up and declare my deal with. The Quad Cities is residence to the perfect ice cream within the Midwest. I used to be first launched to Whiteys Ice Cream after I attended Augustana Faculty. This staple was first opened in 1933 in Moline and has expanded to quite a few places all through the Quad Cities.
The inside has remained largely unchanged since I used to be there in 2002. And the massive menu of choices continues to be accessible to patrons.
In the event you run the QC Marathon subsequent yr, it’s important to embody a cease at Whiteys. With nearly 50 different flavors of ice cream, you may’t go fallacious. Plus, they’re extraordinarily inexpensive. We acquired 4 scoops of ice cream for $11! Nothing like ending a tricky 26.2 with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream.
