Two athletes have been selected to be the Russell Beat the Elite competitors for the upcoming Quad-City Times Bix 7 race.
Kelli Grubbs, of Davenport, and Nathan Windt, of Eldridge, were selected from entries received by June 16. Race officials announced the pair as this year’s Elite runners on Thursday, June 29.
They will be given a head start based on their previous finishes. If they beat the first elite runner to the finish line, they will each receive $2,500 from the rebranded event’s sponsor, Russell Group.
The Russell Group joined the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in 2022 as a new platinum sponsor.
This summer’s Bix 7 race will serve as the USATF’s Men’s and Women’s American National 7-Mile Championships in 2023. This will be the sixth time in race history that the Quad Cities will host the championships. Walkers and runners alike will race the same streets as American Olympic hopefuls on the Davenport out-and-back course.
Total prize purse for the seven-mile race is $67,500. American elite runners will be competing for $50,000 in prize money. An additional $17,500 in prize money will be up for grabs through the Caesars Sportsbook Teams Competition, Premier Buick GMC Dealers First Responders and High School Challenge, and the Russell Beat the Elite race.
The 49th Quad-City Times Bix 7 race begins at 8 a.m., Saturday, July 29. Online registration is open at www.Bix7.com.
