I was grateful to have the opportunity to race at the Bix 7 U.S. Championships this past Sunday. The Bix 7 miler has been one of those races on my running bucket list that I have always wanted to run. I had heard stories about the crowd support, hilly course, and festival atmosphere that makes Bix a unique running experience.
I knew when Meb, Lisa Koll, and myself were doing a signing at the expo two days before the race that I was in for something special. At signings I always make it a point to ask people how many times they have competed in whatever event we are at. I was amazed at how many runners come back to Bix year after year. Most people boasted of running the event over 10 years in a row. Similarly, while walking past a crowded favorite local restaurant it became apparent that there was something great about Bix that kept drawing people back year after year.
I woke up on race morning to some intense lightening and rain. It was one of those nasty looking, gloomy storms that looked like it didn’t have plans on moving anytime soon. Luckily, by the time we were began our warmup the rain had briefly subsided, but not for long. Standing on the starting line the rain began to beat down on us once again. As much as we all hope for those perfect race-day conditions, I would much rather run in rain than heat and humidity.
The gun released us straight into the half-mile hill. I felt like an exuberant boxer that came straight out of opening round bell only to get clocked in the jaw and knocked down in the opening seconds. The hill was tougher than it looked from the car the day before. Our first mile split was 5:07 but it felt like a 4:20 effort. At the mile, my teammate Scott Bauhs and a couple of other runners began to open up a gap that gradually extended to 50 meters at the turnaround. At this point I was very much in my own zone trying to gauge my energy–well knowing that the way back would have much more uphill than the way out. I knew I would need something in reserve. The course certainly lived up to the hype as a challenging course.
As I began to work my way back up with the leaders–along with a couple of other runners from the second pack–I started to feel better and better. I was also beginning to feed off the energy of the other runners who were heading to the turnaround as they cheered me on despite being off the lead. I love courses that double back on themselves for this very reason. The Gasparilla 15K is another great course that doubles back on itself. Seeing the thousands of runners on the course reminds me that I am a part of something much larger than myself.
By the fifth mile I had caught the leader and began opening up a small gap. I actually felt better going up the hills than down them, which is unusual for me. I typically love flying down the hills. Perhaps it was all the hill work I had done for Boston that was still in my system. I knew that I had to run as hard as I could till I got to the top of the hill (around mile 6) then it was pretty much all downhill from there. The gap stayed about the same to the finish, which had a stunning turnout of support despite the rain.
Winning the Bix 7 has brought me one step closer to my dreams that hopefully await me at the Chicago Marathon. I am also humbled to have my name added to the list of Box champions that includes runners I look up to, such as Bill Rogers and Meb. After running Bix I certainly understand why people keep coming back year after year. The vibe is all about having a good time and conquering a demanding course. I look forward to returning to Bix in the future.
Ryan blogs on Competitor
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