Six for Bix!
“There is absolutely no way in hell that I will ever run the Bix 7 again!”
Those harsh words were boldly proclaimed after my first time participating in this race back in 2018. Of course, I had to swallow each one of them when I was back in Davenport one year later for that same race. It served as a sterling reminder that when a runner's pride meets domestic bliss, the latter will win hands down every time.
The Bix 7 is actually a pretty big deal. It was created in 1975 with the intent of mirroring the energy and passion of the Boston Marathon. This race typically attracts around ten thousand participants, including excellent runners from all over the country as well as world class runners. Without question, the Bix 7 has the most talented field of all of my races. As it's billed, it's truly an opportunity to "run with the best."
Between injuries, pandemics and other circumstances, the Bix 7 is also the only race that I’ve competed in each year since returning to competitive running. With last month's race being my sixth consecutive one, I thought it would be interesting to share a brief recap of my experiences.
Don't Be Modest When Estimating Your Time! (2018). Bix runners are divided into four “corrals” at the start. Being humble about my proposed finish time placed me in the third corral, starting much further back. This forced me into a dense crowd of runners that I could not pass for most of the race. Neither courtesy nor profanity moved a single participant - not that they really had anywhere to go either amid jam-packed streets. Each mile only soured my opinion of the race that much more. Needless to say, when I finally crossed that finish line, my mind was awash with many colorful and descriptive words that were less than charitable towards the Bix 7.
It's the Humidity, Stupid! (2019). One year later, I came better prepared. I also entered into it a bit over-confident - having ran a half marathon on a hillier course in Oregon three weeks earlier. Based on what I considered a good performance in that race, I expected the same at Bix. However, I neglected to account for near tropical humidity that would greet me that morning - something that Oregon doesn't have. While I had a decent race, I definitely "wilted" down the stretch.
Is This Really the Bix 7? (2020). Thanks to the pandemic, that year's Bix was limited to virtual participation. With this being my first virtual race, I kept asking myself if this is really the Bix, as I ran along my normal neighborhood training routes. It had to be, I told myself. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have given me a t-shirt. At least I didn't have that long three-hour drive home.
I Want the Brady Street Hill and I Want It Now! (2021). The good news was that the Bix 7 had a limited in-person option the following year. The bad news was that having just returned from two weeks in Oregon - where I'd also ran a quarter marathon only six days prior - I'd have to settle for the virtual option. Despite the humidity levels in Des Moines being akin to the "outdoor sauna" conditions typical for Davenport and a killer playlist, I could not find any enthusiasm that morning. To me, this was just wrong. Every drop of sweat needed to fall on Brady Street or Kirkwood Boulevard- not a bicycle trail in Des Moines. Not only did this end up being my final virtual race, I left Gray's Lake that morning vowing to focus on Bix 7 for 2022.
Come back, Bill Rodgers! (2022). Okay, so nearly everything went perfect last year. My training paid off with a personal PR for the course - beating my old time by nearly thirty seconds. I also placed third in my age group - which was no small feat given the competition. But I just missed getting running legend Bill Rodgers to sign the banner I purchased. I'm still not sure what happened. But just as I arrived in line for his signature, he ended the session.
I Owe It All to the Heat Dome. (2023). Placing second in my age group only occurred because of a "heat dome" that took residence over our part of the country the week leading up to Bix. No doubt a number of runners opted out of enduring a heat index in the triple digits. Which proved a pleasant surprise to me, as my time was slower than last year's, courtesy of an injury that wiped out a good portion of my June training. To everyone's good fortune, storms from the previous night cooled the temps to the low seventies - although the humidity remained at 90%. Oh, and my wife actually stood next to Bill Rodgers in her two-mile race. Shame she didn't think to bring that banner with her.
Looking back, I keep coming across heat, humidity and hills. Why do I do this to myself every last Saturday in July?
One reason is that this race has meaning to my wife. Having had family in that part of the state, she has fond memories of meeting up with them before and afterwards.
Another reason that I enjoy this race is that it's the most competitive race in Iowa. As I indicated previously, it draws in some of the nation’s top runners as well as a daunting overall pool of talent that requires me to be at my best. Simply placing in my age group is an accomplishment.
Next year’ will be the race’s 50th anniversary, guaranteeing an even larger and more impressive array of runners. Amy and I cannot wait to be part of it.
What about you? Any special races that you participate in each year? Your thoughts on this one? Let me know in the comments below or on Facebook.
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