This summer’s seven-mile road race through Davenport will be returning stronger than ever, be a great family event for the community and feature a new competition event.
Those were the main messages delivered by Quad-City Times Bix 7 officials during a news conference Wednesday, April 6.
The 48th running of the Bix 7, which will take place Saturday, July 30, and will feature a first-time event – the Caesars Sportsbook Team Competition.
That new competition will feature up to 40 teams with five runners per team. Each team’s fastest three running times will be used to determine the winner in the team event, Michelle Juehring, Bix 7 race director, said to a crowd of nearly 100 people at a kickoff rally at the Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center, Bettendorf.
“We’ve already been getting people contacting us who are interested in this,” Ms. Juehring told the QCBJ after the news conference. “That’s why we want to cap it at 40 teams for this first year.”
The Wednesday evening event was largely a kickoff rally for the summer race. Ms. Juehring and others used the event to thank sponsors for supporting the Bix 7 over the years, and to point out many other features of the Bix 7 weekend including the Quick Bix, Jr. Bix races and the Brady Street Sprints.
The rally also introduced this year’s new colorful logo, which was on display Wednesday. The logo, brings out a “feel good, life is good vibe,” Ms. Juehring added.
The event also served to get out the word that the Bix 7 appears to be entering the post-pandemic world and it’s time for runners and walkers to return. “We’re back. Running is back across the nation,” Ms. Juehring said.
The race director added, though, that this summer’s Bix 7 also will continue to offer a virtual component for people who don’t want to race with the crowd.
“Our goal is to let people run this race where they want to and when they want to,” she said.
But this summer’s Bix 7 will be more than in-person and virtual races. Deb Anselm, publisher of the Quad-City Times, called the event a “rich experience” that will bring thousands of people to the community.
“It’s going to be a homecoming weekend for the Quad-Cities. … We’re off to a great start,” she added.
The 48th Bix 7 race will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 30.
In addition to the seven-mile race, there will be the Prairie Farms Quick Bix, Arconic Jr. Bix and the Genesis Sports Medicine Brady Street Sprints. These events will be held during the Bix 7 weekend.
In addition to the seven-mile race, there will be the Prairie Farms Quick Bix, Arconic Jr. Bix and the Genesis Sports Medicine Brady Street Sprints. These events will be held during the Bix weekend from July 28-30. In addition, the Iowa American Water Bix At Six training runs are set for Thursday evenings on June 23, June 30, July 7 and July 14. A virtual race option is available for the Bix 7 and Jr. Bix from July 23-30.
To register for the races or for more information, visit www.bix7.com.
