Distance: 30.00 mi
Type: Loop, Trail Ultra
Difficulty: 7 / 10
More Info: Visit Web Site
Address: 708 Washington, Pekin IL 61554
Phone: (309) 346-3601
Filed Under: Running
You will be following the Potowatami Trail in McNaughton Park. The 50 mile course will consist of five, ten mile loops. The loop is dirt trails, open fields, hills, and more hills. The course will take you across Lick Creek twice and Indian Creek once. The trail will be marked with red paint on trees, and yellow ribbons on branches. The 30 mile runners will do three ten mile loops. The loops are not easy. The hills take their toll. The course could be muddy, depending on how much rain we receive that week. Be prepared. Normal temps are in the 50?s.
Eight miles of the race route in the ?Red Trail?, marked by the Park District with red markers on trees along the way. We felt the need to more completely mark the course so we have added yellow tape/ribbon. This ribbon is along the entire course and is ?official?. As an extra help (for those who tend not to look up) we have used white survey paint to arrow the turn where a choice of trails occurs.
Disregard orange paint ? orange is for the horse trails and means nothing in this event. Red, yellow and white ? all mark the route. Orange ? bad.
1. Start/Finish line. Runners will face west as they start the loop. Both the 30 mile and 50 mile runners will start at the same time.
2. Tanners Pass takes you around a loop that starts out down hill, then flat, then up hill, across a grassy meadow towards the Red trail.
3. Head north on the Red Trail to the Totem Pole Turn. The route goes around the pole. The Boy scouts have an aid station here under the shelter house. Next aid station is about 4 miles so don?t miss this one.
4. Pit toilets are about a quarter mile after the Totem Pole Turn on your right.
5. Heading south you will run on some sand so we will call this stretch the beach.
6. Lick Creek crossing number 1. You can look for an easy way to cross but, trust me, head straight through for a refreshing cooling of the feet. It should be no deeper than mid calf ? unless the water is not clear which would mean recent rain has made a torrent!
7. Follow the yellow ribbons closely on the other side, as there are several trail options. After a couple of hills, you will have a short, flat, easy run.
8. That easy run ends at Golf Hill. We have a rope for your use. When you get onto the golf course, head back in just after a few feet.
9. Continue south through rolling hills until you get to Brick Corner. There is a stack of bricks on the other side of a fence and you can clearly see a private residence.
10. This turn puts you on the newest part of the Red Trail called the Sheridan. Included is another creek crossing of a tributary to Lick Creek. We call it Wobbly Rock and you can cross it dry by rock hopping but remember the name!
11. The Sheridan exits at the Hairpin turn ? names more for the nearby road. This turns you toward the north, across a wooden bridge and up the hill.
12. At the top of the hill is a corn stubble field. You turn right and loop around what we call Cemetery Loop ? the Meyers Cemetery is along the way. Run on the grassway across the field.
13. Heaven?s Gate is about half way around the Cemetery Loop and is a pleasant mile loop. An aid station is at the gate.
14. Finish the Cemetery Loop and run along another grassway to the Cache Loop. After you drop down to the valley floor, this loop has the longest, flat stretch on the course before climbing abruptly up to more rolling hills.
15. This loop exits to the Picnic Oak, a large grass meadow with a large oak tree and evidence of a few illegal campfires. Head down hill and through some Frisbee golf area to the last Lick Creek crossing. If the creek is low, you might be able to cross dry on the left but will lose several seconds and be subject to a muddy shore.
16. Watch the yellow ribbons again as there are several cross paths. This last loop is called the Foundation Loop and when you see the old concrete foundation, you are nearing the end.
17. As you exit the Foundation Loop, you will see another pit toiler, and then cross the dam of the lake, up the hill and to the Start/Finish line. You will be running through the Frisbee golf course and these people take their sport serious so watch for flying discs.
From the west, Take 74 to 474 over the Illinois River and take the first exit after the bridge. This will be Rt. 29. Follow the signs to Pekin. You will pass Marquette Heights and North Pekin. There will be a light at Rt. 98 and you need to take a left towards Morton. Cupi?s Motor Mall is located at that corner. Route 98 is also called Edgewater. Take Route 98 through two lights. You will then pass a residence driveway on the right, go up a short hill and take your next right. This is the entrance to McNaughton Park. There will also be a sign for Soldwell Program Center. Follow this driveway until it ends and you will be at the start/finish area.
From the east, Take 74 to 474. Get off at Exit 9, which will be for Rt. 29. Turn left to go to Pekin and then use the above directions to get to the start/finish.
Pekin is south of Peoria. Those of you coming from the North or the South will be using I55 to get to Rt. 74. Once on 74 you will take 474 and use Exit 9.
References and External Links
Posted by: tradkelly and last modified on Aug 17, 2006 by tradkelly
Comments
Be the first to leave a comment, advice, or personal anecdote.
Leave a Comment