Bix notes: Loper returns to scene of 1978 victory

Font Size:

By Don Doxsie | Friday, July 25, 2008 10:16 PM CDT | () comments

Kathy Loper decided to come back for this year’s Quad-City Times Bix 7 even before she realized the significance of the occasion.

Then it hit her: This is the 30th anniversary of her victory in the women’s phase of the Bix.

“It makes it even more special,” Loper said Friday as she renewed acquaintances with old friends and relatives in the Quad-Cities.

Loper, 66, moved to San Diego many years ago. She organizes running events there, and markets international programs that give runners a chance to run along the Great Wall of China or go off to Tanzania, Viet Nam or Cambodia for a running experience.

She has not run the Bix 7 since 1997, but way back in 1978, when she lived here, she was the women’s champion.

Those were the days before the Bix 7 offered prize money and attracted elite runners from around the world. The 1978 race included only 556 runners.

Loper’s winning time of 45 minutes, 38 seconds was more than 2½ minutes better than any other woman in the race, although it pales in comparison to modern-day winning times.

“I know my time when I was in my 40s was actually faster than when I won the race,” she said.

She won the women’s masters division in 1982, ’83 and ’84, breaking the 45-minute barrier in two of those years.

She said not to expect that sort of time today, although the conditions seem to be ideal.

“The weather is just phenomenal,” she said. “I’ve looked at it a few years and thought, ‘Boy, I’m glad I’m not back there for this one.’ ”

Ayalew not here

Almost all of the elite runners entered in today’s race arrived as expected, but one of those who did not was defending women’s champion Wude Ayalew.

Ayalew, an alternate on Ethiopia’s Olympic team, never responded to inquiries as to whether or not she was coming. Bix 7 elite athlete recruiter Bill Orr assumed that meant she would not be here.

Kenya’s Leah Malot also was a no-show.

Arduous voyage

Bix legends Bill Rodgers and Joan Samuelson missed the Bix 7’s annual sponsors dinner Thursday night at Pebble Creek Golf Course because of flight delays in Boston. They didn’t arrive in town until about 2 a.m. Friday morning.

“Bill and I had a marathon just getting here,” Samuelson said. “It took us over 19 hours. If Ed (Froehlich) would listen to me and let me fly out of Portland (Maine), we would have been here to enjoy that dinner.

“The race will be nothing after the trip to get here,” she added.

No 60-over record

Rodgers — who holds the Bix course record for runners ages 50 and over — is now 60, but he said not to expect him to make a run at another mark

He said he recently ran a

7½-minute pace in a 15K and figures to finish in 51 to 52 minutes. Jerry McGrath of Tupelo, Miss., set the 60-over record with a time of 42:51 in 1998.

Volunteers honored

The Bix 7 honored several long-time committee chairmen as its volunteers of the year at a pre-race party Friday afternoon. Those honored were Dale and Jeanine Labath, Mike and Ann Salter, Kerry and Bev Strayhall, Bruce and Sue Boyler and Gary Nickerson.

Friendly wager

Genesis Medical Center vice president Ken Croken issued a challenge to Lujack’s NorthPark Auto Plaza CEO Tom Pospisil at the pre-race party.

Croken said Genesis would end Lujack’s three-year stranglehold on the corporate relay championship at the Brady Street Sprints, and he proposed that the losing side add $100 to the fund to benefit injured firefighter Bob Juarez. Genesis did end up winning, as he predicted.