Bix 7 Road Race facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bix 7 |
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| Date | Last Saturday of July |
| Location | Davenport, Iowa |
| Event type | Road |
| Distance | 7 miles |
| Primary sponsor | Quad-City Times |
| Established | 1975 |
| Course records | Men: 31:51.99 (1998) Mark YatichWomen: 35:18 (2016) Mary Jepkosgei Keitany |
| Participants | 18,000+ |
The Bix 7 Road Race is a super popular running event that happens every year in Davenport, Iowa. It's a special way to remember a famous jazz musician from Davenport named Bix Beiderbecke. A week after the race, there's also a cool music festival called the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival.
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What is the Bix 7 Race?
The Bix 7 is a challenging 7-mile (about 11.2 kilometers) road race. It takes place every July on the streets of downtown Davenport, Iowa.
How the Bix 7 Race Started
The race began in 1975. A man named John Hudetz from Bettendorf, Iowa was inspired after running in the 1974 Boston Marathon. He wanted to bring that same excitement to his local area, the Quad-Cities. The very first Bix 7 race had only 84 runners. Today, it's a huge event with 12,000 to 18,000 runners!
Why the Bix 7 Became Famous
The Bix 7 gained a lot of attention in 1980. That year, the United States decided not to send athletes to the Olympics in Moscow. So, Bill Rodgers, who was one of the best distance runners in the world, came to Davenport instead! This helped make the Bix 7 much more well-known.
The race also grew thanks to its director, Ed Froehlich. The local newspaper, the Quad-City Times, helped promote it a lot. Many businesses also became sponsors. Because of all this support, the Bix 7 became the biggest non-marathon race in the Midwest. It still attracts top runners from all over the world. Famous runners like Bill Rodgers and Joan Benoit Samuelson, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1984, often come to compete.
Race Sponsors
The main sponsor of the Bix 7 race is the Quad City Times newspaper. It's important to know that the race is a separate event from the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival. Besides the main sponsor, many other companies also help support the race at different levels.
Who Has Won the Bix 7?
Over the years, many amazing runners have won the Bix 7 Road Race. Both men and women from different countries have shown incredible speed and endurance. Some runners have even won the race multiple times, becoming true legends of the Bix 7!
