Bix-7 ready to run

One of the state’s major road races is this weekend in Davenport. The Bix-7 race is held every year in conjunction with the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival. Executive race director Ed Froehlich says tonight’s Junior Bix race for kids proceeds the big race tomorrow. Froehlich says they’ve had to limit the race to 35-hundred kids as they couldn’t handle any more once they included parents.The seven-mile main race Saturday morning also features thousands of runners.He says up to 17-thousand runners are expected to participate. Froehlich says the entries are up around one thousand runners, which was surprising as many other events have seen decreases due to 9-11.The race is an American Championship race, something that’s caused controversy, because it keeps foreign runners from collecting the top prize. But Froehlich says they weren’t trying to discriminate against foreigners.There are over two thousand running events in the country, but just seven are designated as American Championship races. He says foreigners are still welcome, but Froehlich says only U-S citizens are eligible for the prizes. The winners of the men and women’s races each get a new car and 25-thousand dollars. Froehlich says the race draws runners from all over the country.The junior race starts tonight (Friday) at 6 o’clock.” The Bix-7 begins tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock. Democrat Governor Tom Vilsack and his Republican challenger Doug Gross both plan to run in the Bix-7.