RSSBix7
RSS 08 Coverage
Viewpoint: Quality of Bix 7 isn't measured in size
If almost any other road race in the United States attracts 13,711 runners and walkers, the race director does cartwheels. With the exception of perhaps a dozen races around the country, it s a new record and cause for celebration. But not when it ha
Bix 7: Man works way around course on crutches
8:25 a.m. A man on crutches was moving at a good clip at 14th and Brady. He does not have a right leg, but he s managing to make it along the course.
Bix 7: Elvis is in the house
8:20 a.m. Three men dressed up as Elvis are having a good time yelling Thank you very much to the crowd. Cory Lenger, a 13-year Bix participant from Moline, said that the Elvises will do seven miles, although that may include trips to the bars and
Bix 7: Family puts on the Batman cape for run
8:15 a.m . The Hogueison family decided after their contest-winning turn as The Incredibles last year that they would switch to Batman characters this year. Their costumes were almost all homemade, and mother Michelle said that she, her husband, Tim,
Bix 7: Runners work their way up Brady Street hill
Thirteen minutes into the race with the lead runners far past the intersection at 8th and Brady, a man could be heard calling out to runners still making their way up the Brady Street hill, Come on, runners, you re not going to win it this way. Jaso
Bix 7: 'Olympics' race begins for 14,000
7:57 a.m.: Race director Ed Froehlich announces the race as your Olympics to the 14,000 racers. He warns, Watch out for that first hill. 8:04 a.m.: The gun is shot as droves of runners begin their ascent of Brady Street Hill.
Bix 7: Mother runs to honor daughter
7:55 a.m. Ready to go among the first 500 runners is Bobbi Dakota, Davenport, who is running the race in memory of her late daugher, Misi Kwinski. The 38-year-old Kwinski died last year in a car accident, her mother said. Kwinski s 6-year-old son s
Bix 7: The wait s almost over
7:41 a.m. Fans line Brady Street Hill, awaiting their favorite runners, who are warming up and stretching just blocks away. Heidi Cordes is hoping to see her 10-year-old son, Jackson. He is attemtping to better his time, which last year was 63 minut
Bix 7: Runner attempts first Bix
7:40 a.m . Timothy Sencl of Ames is running his first Bix. He runs about 30 miles a week. He has heard the course is tough but isn t too intimidated. He and others have thought about running the Bix previously but decided this year they had to make i
Bix 7: Lots of water ready
7:27 a.m. Volunteers poured cold water into hundreds of Wendy s cups outside the RiverCenter. The water is a hot commodity before the race at this pre-race only water station. It s not real hot out. We re not as busy as it usually is, but it has be
Bix 7: Genesis Medical Tent
7:15 a.m. The Genesis medical tent finished its set up, which began about 6 a.m., while volunteers grabbed breakfast. Mary Clarke, director of nursing practices at Genesis and medical tent coordinator, said she is optimistic about the cool temperatu
Bix 7: From Middle and Jersey Ridge roads
Just after 7 a.m., a band called Tennessee-Wilde was setting up on Middle Road east of Jersey Ridge Road. Tony East Tennessee Cavitt and Greg Wilde are going to be playing everything from blues to country music. They were out early despite a show t
What you need to know for today's Bix road race
RACE BY THE NUMBERS: 8 a.m.: Time the race begins today 13,711: Number of registrations 6:30 to 7:30 a.m.: When people still can pick up their registration packets at the RiverCenter, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. WEATHER: The National Weather Service
Bix history buff, Q-C musician dies
Play it again, Rich. Somewhere in the heavens of jazzy sharps and flats, Rich Johnson will be checking on Bix Beiderbecke. Johnson nicknamed Dr. Jazz died Thursday afternoon at the age of 86. He was the premiere world authority on Bix, whom he n
Bix 7: Twinkie serves as reward for finish
9:07 a.m. Emma Doak, 9, of Downers Grove, Ill., enjoyed a Twinkie after running her first Quick Bix. She waited with her aunt, Margaret Carcon of Rock Island, for Doak s sister and mom to finish the seven-miler. Despite being a new runner, she did
Bix with a twist: Floods, economy, strange ending make race unique
Brendan and Elisabeth Schreiber have made the three-hour trek from Chicago to Davenport for the Quad-City Times Bix 7 road race for the last six years. It s the one thing the couple can count on doing every summer. Usually, the Schreibers take the tr
Viewpoint: A challenging view from the *%)@! hills
The guy with the T-shirt slugged his way up Brady Street hill. The guy was not small. His T-shirt clearly noted that. It said something like this: I am a (insert reference to size here that can t be published in a family newspaper). But my (insert p
Viewpoint: Running with Bill can't be beat
On Friday night, Bill Rodgers estimated his finish time for the Quad-City Times Bix 7 at 51 to 52 minutes. Sports news editor Tim Leibold and I, both runners who know the legend of Boston Billy, chuckled and said simultaneously Yeah, right. To ca
Bix notes: Samuelson triumphs again in masters
Olympic medalist wins 7th Bix title After enduring several hours of flight delays and having to go through Denver on her way from Boston to the Quad-Cities, Joan Samuelson jokingly said the Quad-City Times Bix 7 would be easier than the trip getting
Women's Bix winner Masai proves she isn't too old
Edith Masai more than mastered the Quad-City Times Bix 7 course Saturday. The 41-year-old Kenyan let her mind and experience work for her in the race through the streets of Davenport, claiming a 1-second victory over Angelina Mutuku of Kenya to becom
'Big mistake' allows Kenya's Muge to win men's race
Maregu Zewdie seemingly knew only two words of English. He sat on the ground in the elite runner s tent after Saturday s Quad-City Times Bix 7, staring a hole in the grass and shaking his head. Big mistake, he said. Big mistake. He looked up as som
Former Hawkeye enjoys first Bix experience
Diane Nukuri walked away with a 10th-place prize and a newfound appreciation for the Quad-City Times Bix 7 on Saturday. The people, wow, they were everywhere. It was tough race, a good challenge, but the experience is something else. The atmosphere o
Top American was shooting for top-10
Finishing first among his countrymen didn t mean a whole lot to naturalized American citizen Celedonio Rodriguez. Born in Mexico City, raised in Northern California wine country and living now in Albuquerque, N.M., Rodriguez finished 16th in his debu
Bix by the minute
Editor s note: Iowa State University student Karla Walsh spent her morning walking through downtown Davenport and picking up these tidbits about the Quad-City Times Bix 7 race and the hoopla surrounding it. 7:15 a.m.: The Genesis medical tent fini
Bix 7 volunteers keep event running smoothly
Ron Beckenbaugh scanned race numbers as he stood in front of the starting line gate early Saturday, just as he s done 16 years in a row. Numbers 1-500 are allowed in, and numbers 501 and higher are politely directed to a different entrance. Those wit
Celebrations begin even before race
More than an hour before hundreds of runners came through, Sonda Reinartz and friends were setting up a party at Jersey Ridge and Middle roads, but their host was missing. Reinartz said Jim Allen lets the group of friends party in his driveway while
Co-chairs, 250 volunteers make party go smooth
It s a massive effort every year. The Quad-City Times Bix 7 postrace party involves 250 volunteers, thousands of invited guests and more food and drinks than anyone can put a precise number on. But much of the responsibility for putting it all togeth
Bix participation runs in the family
For 30-year Quad-City Times Bix 7 veteran Marsha Cottrell, the Quick Bix on Saturday was a new experience. Cottrell originally began running the Bix 7 because her husband, Tim Cottrell, was a runner. She ran when her daughter, Jessica, was just a yea
VIEWPOINT: Tolerance for the grotesque
The gross-out factor is highest at the finish line. Something about finishing a race makes people spit. And vomit. And wobble. Most of the spitting, vomiting and wobbling is done on a block-long stretch of East 3rd Street. That s where the Genesis M
Kenyan runners donate part of their winnings
When Edith Masai traveled to Davenport from Kenya to run the Quad-City Times Bix 7, she did not expect to meet someone who has done so much for the orphans back in her own country. Not only did Masai emerge the women s champion in Saturday s race, bu
Houtekier doesn't win race, but Capt. Bob Juarez still hits jackpot
Davenport firefighter Robert Juarez now knows how special his story is. It seemed as if the 34th annual Quad-City Times Bix 7 race was a race for him. The Jackpot runner Ben Houtekier ran to raise money for the Robert Juarez Relief Fund. The Davenpor
Runners, bikers treated and released
The three Bix runners that were transported to the hospital have been treated and released, Genesis Medical Center spokesman Craig Cooper said. The three were transported by ambulance from the medical tent near the race finish line to the East and
Bix 7: 3 taken to hospital after race
11:30 a.m. Officials at the Genesis Medical Center medical tent said late this morning that three runners in the Quad-City Times Bix 7 had been transported to the hospital for treatment after the race.
Bix 7: Woman completes Quick Bix on one leg
10:32 a.m. Stacey McNamara, 36, completed the Quick Bix and reconvened with family. It was her first time doing the race, and she said the hill was the hardest part. McNamar had cancer at age 14, and she is on crutches with an amputated left leg. Fa
Bix 7: Palmer s spine team a winner again
10:19 a.m. The Palmer spine team won $500 as the top team in the costume contest. Santa, one of individual costume contestants, told the crowd, Everybody s a winner at the Bix. However, Uncle Brewster, a man in a nerdy-looking costume with a
Bix 7: Not quite a Gatorade shower
10:02 a.m. Crystal Sellers, 15, of Davenport, volunteered to be drenched with a garbage can full of water as she entered the post-race party. It was fun, but now my feet are hurting, Sellers said. She and five others trained every Sunday since May
Bix 7: Backbone of the race
9:56 a.m. It was Christina Kraft s first time as part of the Palmer backbone costume. She volunteered to be the last bone and helped choreograph the dance the group will perform in the costume contest. It s really neat to see all the people, said
Bix 7: Helping others is good
9:53 a.m. The table with water bottles has been very busy, said Gale Hale of Bettendorf. Helping others is good, she said, but getting up so early and dumping her hand in cold water all morning was not as good.
Bix 7: Jackpot runner happy with 14th place finish
He raised his arms and smiled. Sure, Ben Houtekier didn t win the 34th Quad-City Times Bix 7 race Saturday, but he did accomplish what he wanted. In running a time of 34:25, Houtekier finished 14th. It was a personal record for 5 miles by the East Mo
Bix 7: Go Hawkeyes
9:38 a.m. Five girls from the Belluvue-Marquette cross country team dressed in Iowa Hawkeye tank tops for the seven-mile race. Running in the heat was the worst part, they said, but the cheering kept them going. We had a lot of Go Hawkeyes , sa
Bix 7: Security worker enjoys job
9:26 a.m. Since 6:30 a.m., reserve deputy Diana Kakert of Davenport has been helping with extra security at the Bix. This is a great time. I enjoy watching all the kids at the Junior Bix, Kakert said.
Bix 7: The hill was really tough
9:22 a.m. Paul Conway, 13, of Bettendorf, takes a seat on the now pedestrian-friendly 4th Street. This was his first year at the Bix, and he thinks he would like to return in the coming years. The hill was really tough, though, Conway said.
Bix 7: Tinky Winky walks Bix
9:38 a.m. A 6-foot Teletubby, Tinky Winky, was spotted at Brady and 12th streets.
Bix 7: Dozens visit medical tent
9:30 a.m. A runner was being loaded onto an ambulance outside the Genesis Medical Center s medical tent, just across the finish line, shortly before 9:30 a.m. A Genesis spokesman said the runner, a younger male, had a core body temperature of 10
Bix 7: Bloody Mary is diversion for runner
9:10 a.m. Jacob Moylan of Davenport got a little help along the course, but it wasn t words of encouragement. Instead, he stopped by a table of people who offered him a bloody Mary. He gratefully took it and said that even though it was a dehydratin
Bix 7: Runners head for the sprinklers
9:02 a.m. The water sprinkler in the post-race area is a hot spot for runners streaming in. It feels great, said Alison Huss of Bellevue, Iowa.
Bix 7: A wiener and a beer
8:57 a.m. The Oscar Mayer wiener enjoyed a Michelob Ultra after the race. Brian Bane of Matherville, Iowa, enjoyed the post-race party after a hot two miles in the wiener costume. He has raced in the costume for five to seven years.
Bix 7: Honor Guard raises the flag
Twelve students from three high schools formed the military honor guard at the start of the race. There were four students from the Davenport North High School Marine ROTC, Rock Island High School Air Force ROTC and Davenport Central Army ROTC. Malho
Bix 7: Genesis CEO excited at start, finish
Doug Cropper was impressed with the start and the finish of his first-ever Quad-City Times Bix 7. The president and chief executive officer of Genesis Medical Center , who just got the job this spring, started 14,000 runners in the race and then hel
Bix 7: Quick Bixers receive a horn greeting
Quick Bixers got a nice sendoff at the top-of-the-hill turnoff from a walking trumpet player, playing So Long, Farewell from Sound of Music as the Bix 7 and Quick Bix walkers parted company. With an Elite Walker sign on his back, the silver-bea
Bix 7: Under the shade tree
8:50 a.m. Linda Work of Moline sat under a shade tree on Kirkwood Boulevard. She usually runs the Bix but decided to take this year off. I feel like I should be out there, she said. Next year, I will be.
Bix 7: White mustaches
8:47 a.m. A Got Milk tent offers to take pictures of people with milk mustaches. Kristin Jones of Davenport makes milk shakes for racers to take a big swig of. This leaves a big white stain on their upper lip, which is immortalized on a Polaroid tha
Bix 7: Get me a nurse, please
8:40 a.m. Rita Amundsend, a Coal Valley nurse, overheated 25 years ago during the Bix. She and her friend Sue Goddard-Gerrald, a Princeton nurse, dressed up as hospital patients with IVs to display the consequences of not drinking enough water. Afte
Leader pulls up short at end of Bix 7
UPDATED: It wasn t the biggest Quad-City Times Bix 7 ever or the hottest. It might have been the strangest. The men s race was decided when the leader pulled up prematurely a few hundred yards from the finish line. And a woman old enough to win the
Bix 7: A run before getting married
8:35 a.m. We re getting married today in LeClaire, said Kristin Miller, who will wed her fiance David Nauman at 5 p.m. The couple has family on each coast who came to town and are running today. They trained together for a few months in preparatio
Bix 7: Comets offer cheers of encouragement
8:26 a.m. The Quad-City Comets cheer and dance squad shout encouragement to Quick Bixers turning onto the home stretch. The 2nd- through 9th-graders on the squad have been helping out at Bix for quite a few years.
UNI runners sweep Brady Street Sprint open divisions
As a Division I track and field athlete at Northern Iowa, Ryan Grenko has no doubt heard of the phrase leaving it all out there. He s probably even had the clich describe a particular race he ran, more than once. Grenko experienced it firsthand Fri
Watch the Bix 7 race LIVE! at qctimes.com/bix
Fans of the Quad-City Times Bix 7 will have two ways to watch the race from home Saturday. KWQC-TV will provide a live television broadcast, as always, but the race also will be shown live via the Internet on qctimes.com/bix . In fact, if you re mos
Bix notes: Loper returns to scene of 1978 victory
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 spec
Jazz experts discuss Bix Beiderbecke s life
Through his music, immortal jazz cornetist Bix Beiderbecke comes alive. Five jazz experts highlighted the man behind the legend and collecting beyond records Friday during Bix Seminars at the Davenport Clarion Hotel. The series is part of the 37th an
Jr. Bix attracts more than 3,000
These little ones were ready to go. It s 5:55 p.m. Friday, and they can t wait for this race. One by one, here they come. The first to go are racers in the 6-year-old division. The kids are shuffled through ropes while parents and supporters are surr
Bix field short on familiar faces, not talent
When the elite runners line up Saturday morning for the 34th annual Quad-City Times Bix 7, the vast majority of them will be catching their first glimpse of Brady Street Hill. Of the 30 or so international runners expected to compete in the race al
Marathon man Glass backs off training ahead of Bix
A win and a runner-up finish in successive marathons would seem to point to a big Quad-City Times Bix 7 for Geneseo, Ill., native Bryan Glass. That certainly is what Glass, 34, was thinking as he bore down on the unbroken tape at the Governor s Cup M
Bix jackpot runner driven to finish first
Ben Houtekier is not an average Joe anymore. Nope. Now he s Ben Houtekier this year s Bix 7 Jackpot runner. People are aware of me, and sometimes I get introduced as the Jackpot guy, he said. It s pretty cool. I m representing all the normal Joes
Born to run: Schwarz, 11, set to return to Brady Street Sprint field
You remember Claire Schwarz. She was the tiny 10-year-old who qualified for the women s field of the Bix 7 Brady Street Sprint last summer. She finished last but made a lasting impression. Now 11, Schwarz is set to run the Sprint for the second conse
Moline firefighter Houtekier hits Bix 7 jackpot
Ben Houtekier was working on his Chevrolet Suburban truck. That s all. Then, at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, he received a phone call that he said changed his life. On the phone was Quad-City Times Bix 7 race director Ed Froehlich, asking Houtekier a questi
First Bix at Six training run canceled
Runners preparing for the upcoming Quad-City Times Bix 7 will have to a wait a week for their first Bix at Six training run. A detour that will move U.S. Highway 67 traffic around the rising Mississippi River floodwaters has led to the cancellation o
7 simple steps to beating the Bix 7
July 20, 2003 The Quad-City Times Bix 7 annually draws more than 15,000 runners and walkers. They come to the race maybe out of habit or out of curiosity. It s also quite possible that many people run the Bix for neither reason. It could be that they
Race grew into community event under Froehlich s direction
Sunday, July 22, 2007 The race that is now the Quad-City Times Bix 7 began in 1975 with 84 runners as a sideshow to the jazz festival named for Davenport music legend Bix Beiderbecke. Ed Froehlich took over as race director in 1980, boosting particip
Bix 7 race director: Entries won t be capped this year
Ed Froehlich has thrown out the limitations and thrown down the gauntlet. He has eliminated quotas and issued a challenge to physical fitness aficionados across the state of Iowa . Froehlich, the race director of the Quad-City Times Bix 7 for nearly
Bix on Twitter
#Bix7 official time: 1:20 on the button. Sweet!
