“Organizing, administering, and mentoring give you the occasional rest from pedaling!””
By Ed Fleming
About the Hall of Fame
Athletic excellence: Ellis was the top mileage rider in the Mileage Challenge in 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992, setting record total distances in each of those years. He also has earned a place on the Year-Rounder Who’s Who list from 1988 through 2008.
Service to the sport: Ellis has served as Chair for the WUCA Year-Rounder (a.k.a. Mileage Challenge, a.k.a. National Points Challenge) since 1998. He officiated all or part of RAAM ’94, ’96, and ’04. He organizes Ultracup events: the Grand Loop mountain double century and the Colorado Last Chance 1200 km and serves as Regional Brevet Administrator with Randonneurs, USA.
Leadership: Ellis has served as WUCA Board President, Vice President, Program Committee Chair and member.
Most important contribution? “It’s a hodgepodge with a common thread: making goals available to ultracyclists and helping them achieve them. That includes managing the Year-Rounder Challenge, which was my own first goal back in the 1980’s and what inspired me to get involved with a great organization (the WUCA); organizing, local events for riders (Colorado brevets); volunteering as an officer of Randonneurs USA; and as WUCA Board Vice President and President during exhilarating and trying times.”
Why give back? “A natural progression. You first immerse yourself in your own goals and find how far you can stretch yourself, With ultracycling, that can be a long ways! And it’s a necessary focus. Over time you want to share this with others, hopefully because you want others to share your experience rather than because you think you know it all. And organizing, administering, and mentoring give you the occasional rest from pedaling!”