One thing that is guaranteed about today’s 52nd running of the Quad-City Times Bix 7: There will not be a repeat champion in the quest for the Eloise Caldwell Trophy.
The award goes to the top local female finisher in the race and it has been won four of the past five years by Bettendorf’s Kelsey Allbaugh. However, Allbaugh will be one of the entries in the Russell Beat the Elite competition, which means she can’t win the Caldwell.
Among those who figure to be leading contenders are three Bettendorf teenagers — Maddie Millage, Sarah Foad and Brynn Edgin — who finished second, third and fourth in the Caldwell competition a year ago.
In the 14 years that the Caldwell Trophy has existed, there have been only five different winners. In addition to Allbaugh’s four victories, Jen Barker was the victor seven times, including the first five years in a row (2011-15). McKenzie Yanek won in 2016, Addie Pulley in 2018 and Brenna Gray in 2024.
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The Allbaugh family still has a shot at another trophy, however. Kelsey’s husband, Devin, has won the Gregg Newell Trophy as the top male local finisher three of the past four years.
Track Guy exceeds goal
Legendary track and field announcer Mike Jay has become involved in the Bix 7 this year in a quest to get high school runners in Iowa interested in running the Bix 7.
His Track Guy Foundation partnered with Iowa American Water Co. to offer free entry into the race for kids who otherwise might not be able to afford it.
His stated goal was to find 100 kids who wanted to run the hills of Davenport. He ended up paying the way for 200.
Back to running
U.S. running icon Sara Hall will be running her third Bix 7 after top-three finishes in 2014 and 2017 but her husband Ryan, who won the Bix in 2010, won’t be here to watch.
However, Sara said Ryan has begun to get back into running in recent years after retiring from the sport several years ago. In addition to coaching Sara, Ryan is doing a lot of ultra distance running.
“It’s just been great to see him fall in love with running again because for awhile after he retired he wasn’t running at all,’’ Sara said. “He was just lifting weights and stuff and just trying to get strong after breaking his body down in marathoning for so long.’’
She said it was the mountain environment around their summer home in Crested Butte, Colo., that drew Ryan back to the sport.
“It’s just like stunning mountains for miles and that’s really what got him back into running,’’ she added. “It’s been fun to see.’’
Scholarship winners
The honorees in the Bix 7’s two scholarship programs were announced at Friday’s pre-race luncheon at St. Ambrose University.
The recipients of the Mari Sekharan Memorial Scholarship are St. Ambrose runners Anthony Conrad and Lexi Havercamp.
The Rick McGrath Memorial Scholarship was given to United Township High School runners Kevine Agbade and Malik Gbadamassi and Rock Island Alleman’s Noah Versha. The McGrath volunteer award winner was Chris Schwartz.
The awards are named in honor of the late Mari Sekharan, wife of longtime Bix 7 volunteer Raj Sekharan who formerly was the Bix 7’s unofficial hostess, and Rick McGrath, who served as the assistant race director before passing away in 2020.
