Bob Becker: A Finish for the Ages at Badwater 135

On July 9, 80-year-old Bob Becker of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, completed the Badwater 135 ultramarathon, known as “the world’s toughest footrace,” making him the oldest finisher to ever complete the event.

Covering 135 miles from Badwater Basin in Death Valley, 280 feet below sea level, to Whitney Portal which sits at over 8,300 feet, runners must navigate three mountain ranges along the way with temperatures soaring above 120 degrees. Becker finished the grueling race in an impressive time of 45 hours and 6 seconds. Becker’s remarkable accomplishment led to the creation of a new age group category for Badwater 135: 80–84 years old.

Photo courtesy AdventureCorps

This was Becker’s sixth invitation to the race, and his fourth finish. Three years earlier, at 77 years old, he made headlines by crawling across the Badwater 135 finish line, just 17 minutes past the 48-hour time limit. His display of determination and resilience left a lasting impression on runners and race staff who witnessed his unwavering resolve to keep pushing forward up the mountainous Whitney Portal Road. That year, Becker assured the crowd cheering for him despite his missing the race cutoff that his Badwater racing days were over with his famous last words, “I’m not coming back.”

However, promises throughout ultramarathons are often forgotten once the blister pain and soreness wears off, and as he approached age 80, Becker had a goal to get back out there. “I had a score to settle. There was unfinished business at Badwater 135.” With the support of his coach who he has been with for 20 years, Lisa Smith Batchen, an accomplished endurance athlete herself, Becker’s training consisted of miles, tire pulling and cross training. Lisa focused on age-appropriate training which sometimes meant less was more, and while Becker was concerned at points he wasn’t getting in enough miles, she assured him that he had a solid base. Her decades of coaching him and knowing what he needed paid off. When race week approached, he felt confident. “I was ready to rock,” he said.

With Lisa serving as crew chief, the rest of Becker’s all-star crew included 20-time Badwater 135 finisher Marshal Ulrich, his wife Heather, and Becker’s long-time running partner, Will Litwin. Whether it was his setback from 2022 which fueled his drive to cross the finish line under the allotted time this year or his innate determination coupled with a power crew, Becker was clear: “I never doubted I would finish this year.” According to Lisa, “Bob never strayed from the ultimate goal.” She believes that the right mindset can get you through tough times. Her motto, “You can be younger by tomorrow if you do the work,” rang true for Becker’s inspirational finish. “Bob is younger at 80 than he was at 77.”

Team Bob. Photo courtesy AdventureCorps

Becker has been a fixture in the Badwater family for almost two decades, completing Cape Fear eleven times, Salton Sea four times, and when he’s not competing at a Badwater event, he supports events as race staff or crew. In 2015, he also became part of the small circle of Badwater double finishers, which consists of completing the 135 through Death Valley, summiting Mt. Whitney at 14,505 feet, and then running back to Badwater Basin, for a total of 292 miles. In his spare time, Becker is the race director for the renowned Keys 100 and Daytona 100.

Alongside Becker this year, 93 competitors crossed the coveted Badwater 135 finish line within the 48-hour time limit. Simen Holvik, 48, of Norway finished in 21:47:45, taking first-place overall, and Marisa Lizak, 46, of Marina del Rey, California, was first women and sixth overall in 25:07:31. The youngest competitor this year, bookending Becker’s finish, was Kaylee Frederick, 20, in 31:54:46.

For Becker, the most difficult part of the race was climbing the steep and winding Whitney Portal Road. “I had forgotten how challenging those last few miles were.” He also had a scare 3 miles into the race, when his calf felt sore and strained. It worked itself out over the miles, though, and he got to bask in the positive energy and good cheer along the course. “The support I received starting at the pre-race meeting to reaching the finish line was amazing.” Becker noted that race highlights included leap-frogging with 18-time Badwater 135 finisher Danny Westergaard, and elite runner Harvey Lewis cheering and talking to him during the final stretch. “It was a boost,” he said. “I was grateful for all the support along the way.”

When asked what’s next, Becker laughed, “I’ll be sitting on the coach for a bit with my feet up and taking a break with my wife, Suzanne. Then I’ll figure it out.”