TC Newsnet.com: Burke proves cycling isn’t just for the young

Leon Burk of Tipp City started racing bikes on a bet. Now over twenty years later, the gamble has paid off by capturing all four bike races in the National Senior Games Association’s Senior Olympics in June. “I couldn’t hardly believe it,” Burk states of his four medals. Burk is 67 years old. When he was 40, a co-worker was training for a race. He challenged Burk to run the race with him. “I had only two weeks to get ready,” Burk recalls, “I beat him - and that started it.”

He discovered cycling when he began participating in triathlons (he’s been in 24 of West Milton’s canoe triathlons). “I like that you can cover so much ground - I like the speed of it,” Burk said.

Due to the weakening of his knees, running is no longer an option, but cycling is. Burk rides four days a week for about 30 miles at a time (that’s about the distance from here to Greenville). He also does one group ride a week with the senior club of Team Dayton. It was through Team Dayton that Burk went to his first Senior Olympics. He has been to five total. “I thought I found the fountain of youth,” he said with a large grin on his face.

The Olympics for cycling involves four races. There are two timed trials of 5k and 10k, where you race against the clock, and two road races with an entire group. The road race distances are 20k and 40k. At the 2007 Olympics, Burk raced in the 5k first - and placed third. “That kind of inspired me,” he said. “I thought, I can do this.” Burk went on to place first in the 40k, and second in both the 10k and the 20k.

“Someone might win both trials, but it’s unusual to place in both races,” he said. And it’s very unusual to place in all four events. “I guess I’m just lucky,” he added. Burk plans to keep cycling until his luck runs out. At the Olympics, he met a 90 year old man who was still cycling in top shape. Burk figures, if that gentleman can do it, so can he. “His advice was don’t overdo it, just keep moving,” Burk said.”