Huge congratulations to Ripon Red Hawk racer Ben Senkerik for finishing in less than eight hours in this year’s Leadville 100, just held last weekend. For those not in the know, the race is a 103 mile out and back mountain bike marathon that starts in Leadville, Colorado at the rarified elevation of 10,152 feet. The race features more than 14,000 feet of climbing and includes a slog up to 12,424 feet over Columbine pass.

At just 18 years of age, Ben’s finishing time of 7 hours, 59 minutes and 22 seconds put him 74th overall out of 1,481 racers, 69th for men and second place in the 19 and under age category. That is not bad for a flatlander competing against a slew of pros who live at altitude in what is probably the oldest and most prestigious ultra-marathon mountain bike race in the country. Pro Team Specialized racer Rebecca Rusch (Ketchum, Idaho) shattered the previous women’s record with her time of  7:28:06,  while Swiss pro Alban Lakata, Lienz, Switzerland (TOPEAK ERGON - RACING TEAM) won the overall and men’s division in 6:32:24. Previous top finishers include cycling luminaries such as Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Floyd Landis, Dave Wiens, and Todd Wells. That puts our boy Ben in some mighty fine company.

We should also note that there were a number of other Wisconsin riders and their families who ponied up to race or support the racers in the Leadville 100. As Ben mentions on his blog,  six Wisconsinites started and six came home with belt buckles: Ric Damm (coach of the Ripon Red Hawks) at 9:38:12; Jeremy Brouwer at 9:56:10; Ben Jones at 10:44:37; Kyle Greene at 11:30:24, and Paul Meuer at 11:31:54.  Nice job one and all!

Given this is a race held out west, it is only fitting that the winners get a belt buckle, as has been the norm in rodeos for decades. People who finish the Leadville 100 in under 12 hours get a nice, smaller silver belt buckle.  Those with true grit and finish in under eight hours get a larger silver and gold belt buckle. Whenever I travel out west, I make it a point to hit as many local rodeos as possible.  I have noticed that the winningest cowboys, those with the biggest belt buckles, seem to draw the attention of rodeo groupies after the dust has settled.

To read the complete account of Ben’s day in the high mountains, check out his blog “My Life in Bikes.”