We almost skipped this race, due to Ian giving his a mug a good ringing with a mountain bike crash on Friday afternoon - complete with a slightly cracked and dented helmet - and mild concussion symptoms. He had a slight headache on Saturday, check with on-call Doc gave the okay to race, if the headache was gone by Sunday. Besides the slight headache, he showed no other symptoms.
Woke up Sunday feeling fine. Tough parent call on this one. Once Ian starts a race series, he really wants to complete 'em all for the most amount of overall points. I gotta commend him on that. I figured a 30 minute 'cross race would be okay. Since his race wasn't until 12:10 PM, we slept in and skipped my race at 9:30 AM, leaving the final decision until late that morning. So after a quick car load session, away we went.
Oh yeah, we also picked him up a new helmet on Saturday - now in official team mandated white. He's now officially official like with his team kit, looking all PRO. Pretty cool.
As per my usual alleged and predictable style, some pics and comments about the day...
Ian rocking the full team kit and riding the 'hoods like a mini pro. I watched him pick up speed as the laps increased. Fun to watch. In the end, finished 9th out of 12 kids in the Junior Boys 13-14 class...
Ian rocking the full team kit and riding the 'hoods like a mini pro. I watched him pick up speed as the laps increased. Fun to watch. In the end, finished 9th out of 12 kids in the Junior Boys 13-14 class...It was kind of confusing though, since he pulled off thinking his race was done. I found him sitting under his team tent, while the announcers were congratulating people as they crossed the line. Not sure, he jumped on his bike and crossed the line again. He also remembered finishing a few seconds behind a Rad Racing kid he'd been battling, yet the results show Ian almost two minutes behind him. Seems a little wacky.
Not exactly sure what went down. In any case, after what happened on Friday, he'll gladly take the 9th place series points. Ian was sitting in 5th overall for the series going into this event. Curious to see where he falls after this race.
View from the team area. That's Mount Si looming in the background. Ian's JL Velo team also broke out the grill for this race. Salmon, hamburgers, and dogs for all. Very nice. The 'cross scene rocks.
How green it is. I let Ian play with the camera for awhile. He gets credit for this shot.
Singlespeed types blur the fashion rules and camera pixels. Another Ian shot. Nice!
Course was basically flat with a just a few short hills. Lots of bumpy grass sections.
The later races were treated to a little rain. This dude doesn't seem to mind.
Father 'N' Son chat session. Racing isn't just about going fast on bikes. Teammates Chris and son Matt share some quality time. To me, this pic says it all.
There's always a line here...
Lots of fields to warm up before your race. Not visible: The few million piles of pooh hidden in the grass. Appeared to be deer, Yeti, and who knows what the hell else. More pooh per acre then you could shake a stick at. High pressure hose action required on tires and shoes later...
Quite possibly the world's most scenic parking lot. No?
Ian, center stage, lines up with a pile of junior racers. Just look at all those young faces. Fantastic.
Gaggle of juniors cranking the barrier section. Gotta love that.
Caleb, our 8 year old neighbor, giving the Junior Boys 10-12 class a go. I think he dug it, now bugging his dad for a real 'cross bike. The obsession begins...
Ian rounds a corner, while Mount Si keeps watch from behind.
Go Ian go! Super scenic 'cross course. Agree?
Teammate Jarrett grabbed 1st place in Junior Boys 13-14, once again. This kid is wicked fast. On top of that, super friendly nice kid. His parents help run the JL Velo Junior Development Team. JDT for short. They pull the trailer and set up camp at most events, plus his dad provides technical support, as well as working for Redline bicycles. Nice folks.With that, I'm pulling the plug on this fluffy post. I was a little concerned letting Ian race, but in the end; said he had fun and scored series points. It all worked out just dandy - as they say in Mayberry.
Well, at least I think they say "Dandy" in Mayberry. Good chance of it anyway....
MASSIVE RESPECT to Ian. That boy of yours is going to rip it up when he gets bigger.
ReplyDeleteFantastic to watch his progression over the past few years since I've been following your blog. Congrats to both of you.
Thanks Frank. It's awesome watching these kids get out there - my son included. I'd like to get even more kids involved. As I'm sure you already know, here in the U.S. - bike racing programs for kids are just a microscopic blip compared to baseball, soccer, etc. I'd guess in Europe junior racing programs are pretty common.
ReplyDeleteCyclocross racing is perfect for kids. It's short, terrain is not that technical, parents/fans can watch much of the action. There's no field to be dropped from, or pavement to slide on (well, usually not much). It's a killer setup and I've watched the junior numbers increase over the years - as well as adults. 700+ people raced this event.
Ian has been racing for a few years now, with this year first time on a team. We've stuck to dirt events only: Mountain bike and cyclocross. I've watched him progress from kiddie races, to real mountain bike races, and 'cross mixed in as well.
Ian may not be the fastest kid out there, but he does okay and I commend his dedication to hit many events and don't give up. As long as it remains fun and he tries his best, I don't care what place he winds up with. Even so, he's currently 4th place overall in the MFG series. Awesome.
You're also right about these kids ripping it up when they get bigger. These kids give many adult racers a run for their money. Some of his junior teammates race CAT 4 'cross as well - and finish mid pack against adult racers. Pretty impressive.
When Ian and I ride at Duthie, he can kick my ass on the lower section of the Boot Camp Trail. As well as other mountain bike scenarios, where he gets ahead and drops me for a bit. As he continues to grow and get even faster, won't be long before he kills me everywhere. Ands that okay. Damn cool even.
If you've yet to experience it, come on out to a local 'cross race - MFG or Seattle series. As racer or spectator. It's a cool scene. Whenever you're ready, I'd also get a kick out of showing you our local trails.
Big props to you on the success of your blog. I've watched that thing blow up over the last few years. Well done fun site with a huge community attached to it. Great job.