The Race is on! Running For Your Health in the Bix

The Race is on! Running For Your Health in the Bix

Last week, my girlfriend and I signed up to walk in the Bix 7 race. The Bix is a 7-mile course that runs through the city of Davenport, Iowa. The race was founded in 1975 by a resident from Bettendorf, Iowa who wanted to share his Boston marathon experience with the local population. The first Bix race had only 84 runners; today it can have anywhere from 12,000 to 18,000 runners. It is the largest non-marathon in the Midwest, and attracts runners from all over the country and the world!

Below is a diagram of what the course looks like:

The race is almost always held at the end of July-which makes for some very challenging conditions! There are several water stations available throughout the race course, and the Scott County Y has showers available for all racers at the end of it all. There is also a post-race party, and later that night, there is a free jazz festival at LeClaire park! Melissa and I are very excited to be a part of this event-it's something we have wanted to try the last couple of years, but felt we weren't physically ready for it. Now that we are both fit and healthy, we feel we can achieve this goal.

The benefits of running and walking, in terms of your health, are numerous.

They are not only the oldest forms of exercise, but are the most healthful. Running burns more calories in less time than any other exercise; both running and walking lowers your risk for life-threatening diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Walking has the least amount of stress on your joints; it is a wonderful low-impact exercise that anyone can do, no matter what your age or size. Both are social exercises-you can do them with your significant other, friends, family-or strangers in a race! One last note about running and walking-both produce the chemical in your brain known as endorphins. Endorphins produce that euphoric feeling that makes you feel happy and content.

Before starting a running or walking program, you should prepare yourself . Every exercise requires proper equipment; running and walking is no different. Finding a good running or walking shoe is essential; there is a difference between them. Running shoes tend to have thicker soles than walking shoes, because the runner hits the ground harder with their foot than the walker. Walking shoes are designed to propel you through the heel-toe motion of the proper walking technique; therefore, walking shoes will have a more beveled heel than a running shoe.

Also, comfortable clothing when performing any type of exercise is a must. Wear something light and comfortable; preferably a material that will wick away the sweat you will produce during your exercise. Microfiber clothing comes in all shapes and sizes; there are plenty of stores and links on the internet to choose from. And last but not least, some folks like to hear music while they are walking or running; use an armband to hold your iPod in or a belt pack.

Well, the Bix 7 race is only two weeks away; even though Melissa and I are fit and healthy now, we still need to train so we can handle the 7-mile trek. So, I will sign-off for now-till next time!

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