Veterans of the weekly Bix at Six routine can remember, perhaps not so fondly, back to last summer when Mississippi River flooding canceled two of the four training sessions.

So when Thursday morning's thunderstorm was followed by clouds parting and the sun quickly drying up Davenport roads, satisfaction and relief were the common emotions.

The Bix at Six was back on and returning to mid-June after a year's absence.

"You gotta be impressed with how fast these streets drained off," Jay Schalk, 28, of Davenport, said. "It doesn't even look like it rained. But I would have come out here regardless, unless it was hailing, I guess."

Added Scott Stoll, 46, of Moline: "Last year, at this time, everyone was really stressed out from all the flooding. The other 10K and spring runs everyone does, as far as the weather, it seems like it's a little bit better."

About 400 runners joined Schalk and Stoll on Thursday evening in the opening Bix at Six in preparation for the 35th annual Quad City Times Bix 7, despite intense humidity and race-time temperatures hovering in the mid-90s.

"I did not run well in the heat; this was uncomfortable," said Davenport's Ben Lloyd, who finished 35th last year and was selected to compete in this year's Bix 7 Race for the Jackpot. "I'm hoping (weather during the Bix7) is not like this; that would be terrible."

A group of six Prince of Peace High School cross-country runners - five sophomores and a freshman - ran the entire 7-mile course.

"The hills are really tough," Audrey Griffin, 15, said. "They're killers, really steep - and right at the beginning, too."

First-time Bix runners, such as Muscatine's Michael Kain, looked to gain familiarity with the course.

"This is a good crowd and good scenery, learning how to run the Bix 7 properly," Kain, 20, said. "I'm looking forward to the competition of it."

Some participants, such as Moline's Debbie McLees, are more excited about the laid-back atmospheres on Thursday night than the July 25 race itself.

"I think the Bix at Six (runs), they're more fun than the (Bix 7)," McLees offered. "You feel the community coming together more at Bix at Six than on raceday.

"To me, this is the secret of the Bix."