Bix 7 Road Race

Last updated
Bix 7
Bix7.jpg
DateLast Saturday of July
Location Davenport, Iowa
Event type Road
Distance7 miles
Primary sponsor Quad-City Times
Established1975(50 years ago) (1975)
Course recordsMen: 31:51.99 (1998)
Flag of Kenya.svg John Korir
Women: 35:18 (2016)
Flag of Kenya.svg Mary Jepkosgei Keitany
Official site Bix 7
Participants18,000+

The Bix 7 Road Race is held annually in Davenport, Iowa, as a commemoration to Davenport native and jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke. It is followed a week later by the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival.

Contents

Race

The 7 mile road race is annually held during late July, in the streets of downtown Davenport, Iowa. The race was founded in 1975 by John Hudetz, a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa. After competing in the 1974 Boston Marathon, Hudetz was inspired to bring the excitement to the Quad-Cities with a race of his own. The inaugural race had a field consisting of eighty-four runners. [1] Today the race is often run by 12,000 to 18,000 runners. [2] [3]

The United States’ boycott of the 1980 Olympics helped gain the Bix 7 exposure. Bill Rodgers, the world's top distance runner at the time, was unable to compete in Moscow, so he went to Davenport instead. [4] The leadership of Race Director Ed Froehlich, promotion by the Quad-City Times newspaper, and generosity from several corporate sponsorships, has helped the Bix 7 develop into the largest non-marathon race in the Midwest, [5] The race consistently draws elite talent from all over the globe. Running legends Bill Rodgers and 1984 Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson also compete yearly. [6]

The run is primarily sponsored by the Quad City Times and is a separate entity from the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society and the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival, which is held the following weekend. The race has several other sponsors, at the Platinum, Gold Medal, and contributing level respectively.

Champions

Edition [7] [8] YearEntriesPurseUSATF ChampionshipMen's WinnerCountryTimeWomen's WinnerCountryTime
1197584$0 Lucien Rosa Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 34:33.8Kim MerrittFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 41:04
21976$0Dan CopperFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 36:4741:33
31977350$0Kevin McdonaldLynn Schmidt
41978500$0John LodwickFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 34:56Kathy LoperFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 45:38
51979800$0Gregg NewellFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 35:40Ilene KimseyFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 46:25
619801,500$0 Bill Rodgers Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 33:58Peggy Schott43:59
719812,500$033:26Beverly Roland-MillerFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 41:26
81982$0 Robert de Castella Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 32:45* Ellen Hart 38:24
919835,620$0 Joseph Nzau Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 33:10 Joan Benoit Samuelson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 37:26
1019846,750$0 Ashley Johnson Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 33:06 Kellie Cathey Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 38:04
1119857,174$0 Mark Curp Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:56 Joan Benoit Samuelson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 37:38
1219869,325$0 Geoff Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 33:1637:56
13198712,372$0 Joseph Nzau Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 33:24 Francie Larrieu Smith Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 38:10
14198812,425$0 Mark Curp Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 33:22 Joan Benoit Samuelson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 37:59
Prize money offered
15198915,639$39,500 Mark Nenow Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:17 Erin Baker Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 36:35
16199016,521$39,250 Steve Kogo Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:47 María Trujillo Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 37:58
17199118,124$39,250 Ken Martin Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:21 Uta Pippig Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 37:04
18199218,246$60,000 Alejandro Cruz Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 32:21 Olga Markova Olympic flag.svg   Unified Team 36:48
191993$39,000 Thomas Osano Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:10 Uta Pippig Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 36:27
20199420,097$40,000 Benson Masya Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 31:56 Tegla Loroupe Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 36:02
21199518,354$39,750 Phillimon Hanneck Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe 32:08 Anne Hare Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 37:33
22199618,108$39,250 Peter Githuka Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:05 Hellen Kimaiyo Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 36:18
231997$80,000 Khalid Khannouchi Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 32:54 Colleen De Reuck Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 37:34
Junior Bix Introduced
24199822,143$50,000 John Korir Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 31:51.99 Colleen De Reuck Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 36:38
25199920,117$48,20032:59 Catherine Ndereba Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 37:30
26200015,011$49,800 Mark Yatich Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:31 Colleen De Reuck Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 36:42
Brady Street Sprint Introduced
27200118,958$45,000 John Korir Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:24 Catherine Ndereba Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 37:05
28200219,658$45,000Yes Meb Keflezighi Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:36 Colleen De Reuck Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 37:44
292003$45,000 John Korir Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:34 Catherine Ndereba Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 37:12
30200416,627$45,00032:36 Susan Chepkemei Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 35:24
31200520,211$45,000 Gilbert Okari Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:24 Nuța Olaru Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 36:53
322006$45,000 Lawrence Kiprotich Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:13 Susan Chepkemei Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 37:35
332007$45,000 Duncan Kibet Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:15 Wude Ayalew Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 36:57
34200813,711$45,000 Edward Muge Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:16 Edith Masai Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 37:20
35200918,335$50,000Yes Meb Keflezighi Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:25 Molly Huddle Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 37:39
36201017,598$50,000Yes Ryan Hall Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:55 Lisa Uhl Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 37:52
37201118,057$50,000 Silas Kipruto Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:36 Caroline Rotich Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 36:42
38201218,138$50,00032:31 Margaret Muriuki Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 36:17
392013$50,000 Leonard Korir Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:15 Sule Utura Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 36:34
402014$50,000Yes Sean Quigley Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 33:28 Molly Huddle Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 36:14
41201517,293$50,000 Leonard Korir Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 33:06 Cynthia Limo Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 36:57
422016$50,000 Silas Kipruto Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 33:03 Mary Keitany Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 35:18
432017$50,000Yes Sam Chelanga Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:52 Aliphine Tuliamuk Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 36:30
442018 Belay Tilahun Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 32:37 Margaret Muriuki Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 35:57
452019 Leonard Barsoton Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:34 Joyciline Jepkosgei Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 36:04
2020In person race cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. Held as a virtual event. [9]
462021Yes Leonard Korir Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:48 Edna Kiplagat Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 37:16
47 [10] 20226,086 [11] $30,800 [12] No Patrick Tiernan Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 32:32 Fiona O'Keeffe Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 35:58
48 [13] 20236,820$50,000Yes Abbabiya Simbassa Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:34 Kellyn Taylor Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 36:32
49 [14] 20249,829$50,000NoWesley KiptooFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 32:27 Rachael Zena Chebet Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 36:11
50 [15] 20257,931$50,000NoAlex MaierFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 32:02 Vibian Chepkirui Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 36:40

Notes

  1. "Q-C race has grown from a humble beginning into one of the nation's most spectacular events". Quad-City Times. 1994-07-31. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  2. "Q-C area entries lagging Of the 10,000 signed up, 1/3 are from the area". Quad-City Times. 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
  3. "Viewpoint: Quality of Bix 7 isn't measured in size". Quad-City Times. 2008-07-27. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
  4. "History of Bix 7"
  5. "Officials unveil new plans for road race". Quad-City Times. 2009-04-08. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  6. "Costumes abound during Bix 7 race, festivities". Quad-City Times. 2009-07-25. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  7. "ARRS - Race series: Quad-City Times Bix". more.arrs.run. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  8. "Bix 7 year-by-year history". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  9. Abney, Tess. "2020 Quad-City Times Virtual Bix 7 Hits The Virtual Pavement This Weekend". QuadCities.com. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  10. "Beautiful day for a Bix; Tiernan wins". Our Quad Cities. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  11. "Quad City Times Bix 7". Athlinks. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  12. "2022 Bix Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  13. McCoy, Joe. "Over 10,000 runners pound the pavement at 49th annual Quad Cities BIX 7". WQAD. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  14. "Quad-City Times Bix 7". Athlinks. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  15. "Quad-City Times Bix 7". Athlinks. Retrieved 28 July 2025.