Check out the video of Ben Semenek here.
IRONWOOD, MI – Ben Semenek looked up from the start of the Red Bull 400 in Ironwood and saw the finish line that eluded him last year.
“It’s the hardest 400-meter race in the world,” said Semenek. “It’s as difficult as advertised.”
For him, finishing the race at the historic Copper Peak would be the peak of his fitness journey. Years ago, Semenek weighed over 250 pounds. “I’m not going to lie and say it’s a fun experience to go through a big weight loss, but anyone can do it if you actually care enough about yourself to do it,” said Semenek.
Terry Butler has battled his own weight issues but was among hundreds who beat the world’s steepest race.
“I got to 300 meters and I felt my chest was going to blow out,” said Butler. “I have friends that aren’t able to do this – I’m kind of doing it for them and for my kids.” He said if he can do it, anyone can.
“Don’t ever doubt yourself, you don’t know what you can do until you do it,” said Butler.
Some doubt crept into Semenek when 250 meters in after he had finished the steep landing area, he looked up Copper Peak’s ski jump. But, he made it. “Dead last is still better than DNF, did not finish,” said Semenek.
He hopes to be faster next year, and said a difficult journey, whether a couple hundred meters or pounds, is worth it.
“That reward is something that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Just a stupid grin on my face, grabbing a water in the stairwell of Copper Peak, knowing that I did finish, knowing that I did my best, and knowing that I got it done.”
The race is the steepest 400-meter race in the world. It is about the same as running up 40 stories. This year’s event was the second of its kind at the historic jump.