Hopping on a bike and pedaling for 30 to 50 miles in one day is not the ideal hobby for most people.

For the members of the Iowa State Cycling Club, it’s something to get excited about.

Every week, the club meets up and goes on a ride because coming together for the sake of riding is what it’s all about for them. In fact, the club’s Facebook page states, “Anything with two wheels will do, whether it’s made of steel, aluminum, bamboo or carbon.”

And while a bamboo bicycle would be a sight to see, it probably wouldn’t stay intact for the full duration of an actual road race.

Matt Vermeersch, junior in agricultural engineering and the vice president of the cycling club, is mostly involved in the road race aspect of the club, traveling from state to state with the club and competing against clubs from other universities.

In the past year, Vermeersch said the club has traveled to Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Mo., Kansas State University, University of Nebraska, University of Minnesota, University of Northern Iowa and University of Iowa.

At all of those races across the Midwest, one cycling club member has been able to find success.

According to usacycling.org, junior Judah Sencenbaugh has placed first in four different races as well as second at a race at Northern Iowa. In May, Sencenbaugh qualified for the 2014 USA Cycling Collegiate Road Nationals.

Not bad for someone who just picked up the sport competitively a year and a half ago.

Sencenbaugh said she has always been an outdoors person, but the prospect of riding for 20 to 25 miles hasn’t always appealed to her.

“I wouldn’t say that I was like, ‘I want to go out and do a 25 or 50 mile ride,’” Sencenbaugh said. “I’d ride from here to there, do family rides, but when I was 17, 18 I did a few triathlons and rode, but nothing to train for.”

Once she did start training, though, everything began to click.

Since Sencenbaugh began competing, she has won nine races and finished in the top three 14 times, according to usacycycling.org.

During the road race at nationals in Richmond, Va., Sencenbaugh was at the front of the pack when her chain fell off in the middle of the race.

While pedaling up a cobblestone hill, Sencenbaugh’s chain flipped off of her bike, causing the cyclist behind her to fall. Sencenbaugh stopped on the hill, got her chain back on, and then after a brief running start got back on the bike.

That was the first of three times the chain came off during the race.

Sencenbaugh wound up finishing 47 out of 71 riders in the road race, and while she said her place was disappointing, it was a good experience.

As for her mode of transportation?

“I’m getting a new bike,” Sencenbaugh said.

With only a year and half of experience under her belt, Vermeersch attributes Sencenbaugh’s successes to her work ethic.

“She’s not afraid to race against people and she’s got a pretty good work ethic,” Vermeersch said. “A lot of it is experience. You’ve got to have experience in races to know when to pass people, when to make a move and that’s a big part of it.”

As full-time students, the biggest challenge facing Sencenbaugh and Vermeersch is the clock. Finding time to fit in school, work and 20 to 30 miles of cycling is no easy task.

Even with classes, work and broken chains, Sencenbaugh keeps getting back on her bike.

“The feeling you get, the competitiveness — it’s kind of addictive,” Sencenbaugh said. “Getting yourself out there is the hardest part, but once you’re out there, it feels so good. It’s a way for me to relax.”