Featured Running Event of the Week - Get Your 6.6 on Route 66

A fantastic play on the phrase "Get Your Kicks on Route 66".  This is a 6.6k point-to-point race.  To explain that in non-runner terms, this is a 4.1 mile race which ends at a different location that it starts.  Now, some "circular" races end within a few blocks from where they started, that's not really considered a point-to-point.  A point-to-point is when it ends significantly far from where it started - in this case 4.1 miles farther (or 6.6k).

This is what many refer to as a "destination race".  Basically, that is a race that people travel to, not so much because of the physical attributes of the course, but more for the location of the course.  (though attributes of a course also make destination races).  The lure of this event is spending 6.6 kilometers on the Historic Route 66 - the actual Mother Road.

The race starts at Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup (and you can look up why it's spelled that way on their webpage at http://www.funksmaplesirup.com/#&panel1-1).  The race ends at the McLean, IL town square.  Participants park a couple of blocks from the FINISH line and take a shuttle to the starting line.  Shuttles begin at 6:15am and run continuously until 7:15am.  Race starts promptly at 8:00am - right in the middle of Route 66.  Right, smack dab, in the middle of the road.

Participants are treated to a scenic and leisurely starting area at Funks Grove.  There are historic buildings, sirup making tools, and an entire grove of trees - complete with a sap line running through them like a spider web.  Participants are also treated to a shot of Pure Maple Sirup prior to the race.  Yes, like in a shot glass.  Good for energy - right?  Right?  The entirety of the Funks Grove location is a nice relaxed and scenic setting to sit and talk, to collect thoughts, to stretch, to warm up, or to sight see.  Depending on how early one arrives, one can soak in as much atmosphere as they choose.

The race then heads down Route 66 - a very long, primarily flat, straightaway.  Literally, just straight for at least 3.75 of the 4.1 miles.  You can see runners way ahead and way behind - literally "you can see for miles".  Most of Historic Route 66 runs alongside Interstate 55, which adds some "cheerleaders" along the way.  Many many cars and trucks will sound their horns in encouragement for the runners, a couple of loud truck horns, or several quick car beeps.  With each one, nearly every runner waves back a "thank you wave".  Keeps the motivation up and keeps it fun, for the runners, and those enjoying the sites while traveling to who knows where.  A very cool built-in feature of the race.

At about 3.75 miles, the road curves and heads into McLean, IL.  It even goes from pavement to packed gravel (tightly packed, secure footing).  Participants run past some houses, with families and children cheering from their porches, to the finish line which is a turn later.

After the finish, participants pick up their swag bags, which includes a commemorative can holder and shot glass, plus coupons for 1 free drink (alcoholic or not) and free food in the town square.  In addition, there is the unique feature of $3.00 of credits to Arcadia - an arcade with vintage video and pinball games!!  It seemed after the awards ceremony concluded, the arcade was packed with people 40 and over, all those who grew up in video's heyday of the 80s.

In the town square there was a beer garden, food cooked on a grill, pet adoption, silent actions, a Route 66 backdrop for finisher photos, trivia contests, and a car show.  All in a perfect Route 66 small-town setting.  In, literally, the town square - a patch of grass and trees in the middle of the business district surrounded by roads.

This is a bucket-list race for any runner (or walker) who wants to experience authentic Route 66 in a unique way.

Featured Running Event of the Week - Get Your Butt Kicked on 66

The Get Your Butt Kicked on 66 is, as the name implies, and event that takes place on Historic Route 66.  To be precise, it takes place at Route 66 State Park in Missouri, not far from St. Louis.  The park is the home of abandon portions of Route 66 as well as a now dismantled Route 66 bridge over the Meramac River.  The dismantled bridge is a harbinger of the tale of Route 66 State Park, which at one time was the populated town of Times Beach.  Quite the interesting, and sad, tale of Times Beach, which is best described by this Wikipedia article.   Now, this area is a picture perfect state park, with trees, and fields, and ponds, and walking and biking and equestrian paths.

So, that's the place, now here's the race.  The Get Your Butt Kicked on 66 is a 6-Hour Endurance Race.  The idea of an endurance race is to get as many miles in, during the 6 hour time period, as one can (or one wishes to attempt, as runners are free to stop at any time, they can also restarted at any time - within the 6 hour window).  Some people use this as a way to run a selected distance, some just want to stay "in motion" for the full 6 hours, some walk the entire time, some stop after a certain number of loops.  That's the beauty of Endurance Races - you can complete whatever you want (or try to accomplish whatever you want) as long as it is within the time window.

This particular race starts at 6:00pm and goes for 6 hours (catching a Route 66 theme here?).  The first 2.5 is in the sunlight.  Sunlight in Missouri in July is bad enough, however, the route sits in a valley near a river, so add humidity to the mixture.  This race is more about the conditions than the terrain.  The next 30 minutes is in the setting sun, and the remaining 3 hours is in the dark, requiring headlamps, flashlights, shoelights, or such other lighting concoctions.

The path itself is mostly flat, there is one rapid decline, a long nearly-flat incline, and some nearly-flat declines.  The track is about an even mixture of pavement, chip-n-seal, and crushed gravel.  The entire trail is plenty wide allowing for passing of quicker participants with ease, and no real choke points.  The final stretch gets a little narrow, especially during the final minutes when participants are on the short loop trying to get in those final miles - but it's not bad.

That short loop?  So, the main course is a 2.45 (ish) mile loop on the paths described above, which also includes the park streets.  Participants traverse this route for as long as they want.  But remember, in Endurance Racing, only completed laps count, so nobody wants to be caught out on the loop when time expires.  Thus, the "short loop".  Participants, during the final 60 minutes (some races it's final 30, 45, 15, depends) can run a "short loop".  In this case, it is a 1/3rd mile loop almost primarily on the streets and parking lots, and then on the same narrow final stretch.  Runners can apply strategy here, and decide how soon or how late to hit the short course.  Those final 15 minutes, the short loop is busy!!!

The course has a main aid station at the start/finish line, complete with water, sports drink, pretzels, pickles, M&Ms, fruits, and other assortments.  Mid-way (ish) through the course is a water & sports drink aid station.  Participants are actually able to park their vehicles right along the front stretch, and also right before the final stretch.  These can be used as personal aid stations, where participants can setup tents, drinks, food, chairs, etc etc.  The route makes this VERY easy to do - literally, cars are 2 feet from the running area.  Early arrivals get better spots.

A challenging race, the name sums it up!  The battle is with heat, humidity, nightfall, bugs, and one's inner strength.

Just for kicks - the photo below is a picture I took before the race of the dismantled Route 66 Bridge - from underneath.  (the course does not go under the bridge)

Featured Running Event of the Week - Route 66 10k, Edwardsville

Reader warning - this is one of our longer posts - but the volunteers deserve the recognition.

As part of my running "bucket list", my goal is to run as many races in Route 66 towns or ON Route 66 (even better) in Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas, within reason.  We've already featured several of them on this blog over the past few years.  This week it is the Route 66 10k in Edwardsville, IL.

What drew me to the race was that it was part of the annual Route 66 Festival, which consists of a car show, vendors, live music, and Route 66 memorabilia.  What makes it one of my favorite races turned out to be not where it was located (Route 66), but what went on as part of the race.  So let's walk through it (or run).

The race itself starts at the Route 66 Festival at 8:00am, right about when most vendors are arriving and begin setting up.  Most "open" at 10:00am officially, but by the time I completed the race and got situated, many of them were already open for business.  The race also ends at the Route 66 Festival.

The course spends about 50% on city streets and 50% on wooded bike/walking paths.  Runners leave the Route 66 Festival and head through some side streets then across Route 66 itself, and then begin a winding process through the business and residential sidestreets of Edwardsville.  The course spends very little time on the larger streets, which makes sense as it would be difficult to close main streets, especially Route 66 during a Route 66 Festival. 

As part of the neighborhood portion of the course, there are quite a few blocks of red brick road (sorry, not yellow brick), but very reminiscent of older parts of Route 66 and just older neighborhoods in general.  These brick streets are well maintained, and although it does lead to a more cautious step, there were no ankle-twisters that I spotted.  Many don't care for brick roads during a race (as I have overheard some say here and in Dwight), but, personally I like the ever changing terrain.  Not only does it change things up, it adds to the historic atmosphere of a Route 66 race.

The course then exits the neighborhoods for a relatively steep and winding downhill consisting of almost the entire elevation loss of the entire race.  As it winds, it builds speed, adding another challenge to runners to successfully pace themselves and change their strides accordingly.  At the foot of the hill and after a few turns is a Nature Center and the first water stop - and the second spirit station. 

Wait - time for a break here - the second spirit station.  The first one was back around mile 1 if I am not mistaken and consisted of adults, teens, and children holding up signs, ringing bells, and cheering for complete strangers (and for friends they knew in the race).  And that marks the first of seven stations (I hope I counted that right), and those are what made this event so memorable for me - the spirit stations.  Each one was themed differently, and I hope I don't leave any out.  (This is what I referenced in the intro).

Back to the race, the next spirit station was also many kids, teens, and adults with all sorts of funny signs and bells and cheers and high-fives encouraging the runners, just before we headed of into the wooded path area.

The next 3 miles-ish is spent on a very gradual, but constant, uphill, making up for that giant steep downhill earlier.  All of the elevation loss is made up during the wooded path area, it is very very gradual, but it is constant.  Trees are on both sides of the path and provides a very scenic tour through nature.   The next spirit station was themed as a Pool Party - they even wrote on the path "Pool Party Ahead" in multi-colored chalk!  Once runners arrived there, they were greeted with volunteers in pool attire, and a decorated area with pool inflatables, beach items, beach umbrellas, and the like.  An oasis at in the woods. 

The race continued in the wooded area for another mile or so, when the next spirit station arrived and runners could hear it as they approached - the infamous sound of dueling banjos playing loud and proud.  Upon arriving at the spirit station, just past the underpass, runners were greeted with over-the-top "hillbillies" and water guns!  And those water guns were a welcome respite from the heat, as volunteers would water-down willing participants as they ran (or walked past) - front AND back!!!

Later, still in the woods came the next spirit station, which also acted as a guide or a directional sign, preventing runners from continuing straight on the path and massively increasing their total distance.  The volunteers lined up for high-fives, essentially blocking the wrong path and forcing runners to make the right turn (a left turn, actually).  At least a dozen young ladies cheering and high-fiving the runners as they passed.

Shortly after that, the course emerges from the wooded path and runs along side one of the main roads on a VERY wide concrete path.  The cars honking as they drove by - or waving - provided that necessary inspiration to complete the final mile of the race.  The drivers provided that extra adrenaline kick needed for the finish.  The course then turned back onto residential streets for the final 1/4 mile or so and a couple of turns - then a long finish line stretch of a few blocks which included the final spirit station, with mostly teens and adults cheering and high-fiving and yelling words of encouragement to the runners with .1 miles to go.  They also provided a nice hose to run under!!

And then it finished - with the Route 66 Festival straight ahead and live music already rocking the area!!

I remember so much detail of this race BECAUSE of the spirit stations - when racing, especially on longer distances, it becomes a mental challenge as well, not just physical, and those spirit stations really helped keep the spirits up!!!  By the way, I'm pretty sure I forgot one of them, as I thought there were 7, but can only remember 6.  I'm sure the one I'm forgetting was just as good, and my sincere apologizing for not remembering it.  When/if I do, I'll edit this post.  Even though I don't remember it now, I'm positive I appreciated it then!

AUTHOR'S EDIT : As promised, I'd edit them in, thank you to Erica who replied on our Facebook page,  jogging (pun intended) my memory.  The other spirit station was handing out giant soaking wet sponges!!!  Fortunately, it wasn't miserably hot outside, but I tell you those sponges sure did come in handy - and were much appreciated!!!  Not sure how in the world I could have forgotten them!!!!

One final note before concluding, this race takes place in June near St. Louis - it can be hot and humid, but between the mature neighborhoods and the wooded path, much of the race is spent in the shade - like almost 90% of it, if not more!

Featured Running Event of the Week - Litchfield Route 66 5k

The featured running event of this week is the Litchfield Route 66 5k and Half Marathon.  And guess where it takes place?  Yep, in Litchfield (IL) and 100% on Historic Route 66.  Well 99.99% on Route 66 - and the remaining .01% is ultra cool!

So, it is unusual for me to post pictures with these entries, but, this is Route 66!!  There are exceptions to all rules!!

The race starts directly ON Route 66, right where the 66 road badge is painted.  The race then heads south down Route 66, the Half Marathon goes further south than the 5k.  Both events reach a turn-around point and head north back under the start line arch.  They then continue north until a small turn-around on a gravel alley an the back south again - and back under the arch again.

The 5k route, shortly after going under the arch makes a sharp left hand turn for the remaining .01% of the race, which is not on the actual road - but rather - on the entrance to an active 66 year old DRIVE-IN THEATER!!  Runners head towards the finish line on the very same gravel drive-way that drive-in patrons use, and the finish line is just behind the outside of the giant screen!  (Half-marathon runners finish here too, but have to run the loop twice before finishing)

There are a few water stops along the route, as well as people lining he streets near the start line on both sides, cheering on all runners.  Some of them are family members and friends of participants, and some are local residents who bring out a folding chair and cheer on the runners.

The entire police force, which is relatively small, being a small town, is out to direct traffic as the route crosses a few side streets and 1 major road.  These officers are extremely friendly to the runners, as they respond with "Thank YOU for coming out" or "Good luck" or "Keep up the good work" in response to the participants saying "Thank you officers".   The road is closed, and the police control the crossing at the main road to make sure no runners have to stop for cars.  The drivers were also patient as some were even seen clapping out the window as runners went by.

The route is mostly flat, though there is an extremely gradual up-hill climb heading south, but the it's also the same length downhill heading north.  Very smooth course - and as they say in the running world - flat and fast.  The only gravel is the one turn-around and the finish line at the drive-in.  The course passes several businesses proudly named after Route 66 or with some sort of Route 66 tribute on the property.

The drive-in is the host, and participants are allowed to park inside the drive-in.  And what was funny to see there - every single driver parked as if they were going to watch a movie.  Cars started filling in from the middle then outward.  Drivers pulled up on the mounds and next to the "speaker stands" (no speakers anymore, all by radio now).  Even though there was no need to park in such a manner - every driver parked as if they were there to watch a movie.

For any Route 66 fan - this is a bucket-list race for sure.  And walkers are more than welcome, especially on the 5k version.  One could actually enjoy a leisurely walk down memory lane instead of a leisurely run if they chose.

I think the attached photos tell the story better than I do.