Bix 7 Road Race
The Bix 7 road running event is an annual 7 mile race held in Davenport, Iowa. It is held every year on the same weekend as the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival in late July or early August. In 2008 it was held on Saturday, July 26th. In 2009 it will be held on July 25th.
The race originally started out as separate from the jazz festival. A few dozen people ran the first race. In the mid-1970's it affiliated with the festival, and slowly began to grow. Today, 15,000 to 20,000 people typically run it. It is one of the largest non-marathon running races in the country, and draws top runners from all over the world. The 7 mile course is known for its steep hills. The first mile of the course is all uphill. Spectators line the 7 mile course and many Quad City bands play along the route.