New start, bigger finish for this weekend’s 2023 QC Marathon

To begin a second quarter century off on the right foot, the 2023 TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon is literally changing course this Sunday, Sept. 24. Instead of running the QCM on a blocked-off lane of westbound interstate to cross the Interstate 74 Bridge from Moline to Bettendorf, it will for the first time use […]

To begin a second quarter century off on the right foot, the 2023 TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon is literally changing course this Sunday, Sept. 24. Instead of running the QCM on a blocked-off lane of westbound interstate to cross the Interstate 74 Bridge from Moline to Bettendorf, it will for the first time use the new span’s popular pedestrian path. It will take participants over the iconic Mississippi River in the marathon (26.2 miles), half-marathon (13.1 miles) and marathon relay (distance split between five runners).

“It's a safer route — and it's the future of our event,” said Joe Moreno, the QCM’s founding race director. “Why run on the interstate when you have a safer pathway going over the river? They built the new bridge with pedestrian traffic in mind — so why not utilize the feature?” To help manage the flow of runners on the path — and improve the event for the next generation — the QCM also is altering its time-honored finish for the longest race. Now, rather than heading over the bridge after the first mile, marathoners and relay runners will continue on the out-and-back along Moline’s River Drive to East Moline before starting across the river after the seven-mile mark. This change will allow those runners to turn right coming off Arsenal Island for a big finish at the John Deere Commons rather than turn left and away from downtown Moline for a withering final 6.2 miles down and back to East Moline. “Everybody always complained about the finish anyway,” Mr. Moreno said. “When you're on the island, you could be at the cemetery and hear all the commotion -- the music, the announcements, the crowd. In anticipation of finishing, that was torture for those marathoners to come off the island and turn away from everything with still a final 10K to go. That was a real mental hurdle to overcome. Now, they get the big finish.”

Half-marathon unchanged

The course remains unchanged for half-marathon participants – who never had the out-and-back finishing kick to contend with. The half-marathoners will continue to cross the bridge at the 1-mile point and finish soon after crossing from the Island back to downtown Moline. “This does come with some obstacles — getting on the path in Moline and getting off the path in Bettendorf,” Mr. Moreno said. “But what's made our job easy is dealing with the municipalities in those cities. Instead of saying, ‘too bad,’ they continue supporting us and the area by making improvements that help our course for future years.” Marathon participants crossing the bridge will now pass the glass oculus near the crown of the bridge and see the sweeping downriver views that have made the I-74 pedestrian pathway a tourist attraction for the last year-and-a-half. After exiting the path in downtown Bettendorf, participants will follow routes similar to the 2022 QCM course. “The great thing is the feel of our course remains the same,” Mr. Moreno said. “You're still crossing the river multiple times and running along the shores of both states and on Arsenal Island. So, we haven't lost that uniqueness.”

New for 2023: 10K race

Also new this weekend is the addition of a 10K race distance with a remote, flexible start on the island. Mr. Moreno said 103K participants have a three-hour window to start their race – stretching from 7:15-10:15 a.m. – with a timing mat beginning their race clock. The 10K route is the same as the new finishing kick of the marathon, he added, so all the necessary amenities such as water stations and porta potties already are built into the course. The flexible start time allows 10K participants the option of watching the 7 a.m. start of the marathon, half-marathon and marathon relay – and perhaps even watch loved ones start at 7:15 a.m. and finish the 5K – before boarding a bus to shuttle them on to the Arsenal for their drop off point. The 10K participants can even consider waiting to start their race until friends or family entered in a longer race reach their position so they can run together. “For the longest time, the running community has been asking for this,” Mr. Moreno said of the 10K. “And finally, the timing was right with the changes that are happening on the course and also with the amenities that we’re adding on Arsenal Island. So, it’s not just an out and back – and we don’t have to start in downtown Moline and have a turnaround like the 5K.”

Arsenal steps up

Making the addition possible, Mr. Moreno said, is the Arsenal allowing spectators and participants to be shuttled on the island with a valid driver’s license or other acceptable ID. “We are so blessed to have Metrolink as our sponsor for the shuttles,” Mr. Moreno said. “Since day one, they've been tremendous to work with, and when we pitched the idea, they said, ‘We can make that happen!’ “So now, not only are they shuttling the relay runners, but they’re also shuttling the 10K runners to the west end of the island to participate – and now, they're shuttling spectators, which is totally new.” Milan’s XPAC also stepped up to sponsor the new race. “They said they would be honored to sponsor and they're in it for the long run,” Mr. Moreno said. “They're already engaged -- their employees are all participating – and they have committed for multiple years, so it's going to be a lot of fun.” The new 10K also can be bundled at a discounted rate, Mr. Moreno said, with the Rudy’s Mile on Saturday, or the Palmer College 5K or Mel Foster Co. Half Marathon on Sunday. Online registration for all races remains open until Friday night. Walk-up registration is available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Active Endeavors Health & Fitness Expo & Packet Pickup at Vibrant Arena at The Mark. There is no race day registration Sunday. For more about the TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon, visit qcmarathon.org.

QCM – IF YOU GO:

WHAT: The 26th anniversary of the TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon. A two-day festival of running featuring eight races including the 26.2-mile namesake. Proceeds benefit both Prostate Cancer awareness & support efforts locally and the Shoes for Quad Cities Kids charity. WHEN & WHERE: Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23-24. The start/finish line is on River Drive in downtown Moline, between the John Deere Commons and Vibrant Arena at The Mark. The Sunday racecourse also runs along the Mississippi River in Bettendorf, Davenport, Rock Island and Arsenal Island. Parking is free both Saturday and Sunday at the arena. Metrolink offers free shuttle buses to/from Arsenal Island and the relay exchange points. WHO: Participants have until Friday to register online for a race here. Races include the 26.2-mile marathon, 13.1 mile half-marathon, a 5-person marathon relay, a Pump N’ Run weightlifting and running competition, a 10K, a 5K, a kids’ micro-marathon, and a 1-mile walk/run to benefit Prostate Cancer awareness and support efforts locally. Spectators are welcome throughout the course. Those interested in volunteering to help staff the race can sign up here. WEDNESDAY EVENT: QC Marathon kickoff party, 5:30 p.m. at downtown Moline’s Bass Street Landing & Pub 1848. Presented by Ecogistics. Eat, drink and celebrate with fellow runners, sponsors, volunteers and the race committee. Open to the public. Featuring live music from Crooked Cactus and food from the Double D Diner food truck. THURSDAY EVENT: Witty’s Wine Down, 6:30 p.m. next to Davenport’s Fleet Feet, 4257 Elmore Ave. A women’s focused event ahead of the marathon voted the best in Illinois last year. Features wine, gifts, charcuterie and a sizeable donation to a great cause. Dress code is cocktail attire with running shoes. SATURDAY EVENTS: The Active Endeavors Health & Fitness Expo offers packet pickup, walk-up registration and more than 40 booths featuring health and fitness products and information, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Vibrant Arena at The Mark.  Yoga and stretching session are at 7:30 a.m. and the Fleet Feet Shake-Out Run is 8 a.m. The Rudy's Tacos 1-mile walk/run  is 10 a.m., Happy Joe's Kids' Micro-Marathon is at noon and the weightlifting portion of the Treadmill Heroes Pump N' Run is all day.  Speaker’s Series is from noon to 4 p.m. The kids’ run includes free pizza, an event t-shirt and a virtual goodie bag. Also this year each participant will receive a copy of a children’s book on running from Boston Marathon director Dave McGillivray. NOTE: There is no packet pickup or walk-up registration offered Sunday. SUNDAY EVENTS: The TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon, Mel Foster Co. Half Marathon, and Rock Valley Physical Therapy 5-person Marathon Relay all start at 7 a.m. The Palmer College of Chiropractic 5K follows at 7:15 a.m. Starting remotely on Arsenal Island, between 7:15-10:15 a.m. is the XPAC 10K. When participants finish, there is a post-race party until 2 p.m. sponsored by The Nature's Treatment. Awards ceremonies for each race are mixed into the party, which features food, drinks, music, massages, and chiropractic care. SPECTATORS: Highly encouraged as an important part of race weekend is cheering on all participants. The best spots to watch and a link to downloading the QCM App to track your favorite runners is located here: qcmarathon.org/spectator-information FOR MORE INFO: Visit the event website at qcmarathon.org/