My First Cyclocross race 10-2-10

First off, Cyclocross is a bicycle race that can be on road, off road, and you have barriers that you have to get off of your bike and jump over with your bike. There are usually sections where you have to carry your bike too. The races are either 30 min. or 45 min. depending on class.

We got up at 6:00 am it was a Saturday morning. There was frost on the grass and it was 31 degrees. The high was going to be 52 degrees today. My dad made scrambled eggs, peanut butter toast and milk for breakfast. We ate and waited for Bruce Martens ( my trainer ) to get to our house. Bruce arrived with his son Liam and we all jumped in and headed out. It was Bruce, Myself, Mason and Liam in Bruce’s car and my dad and Levi in the van. We headed to Hudson WI. It was only about a 40 min. drive. We got there early and Bruce introduced us to the MN JR cycling club coaches. The coach said he would take me around the course with the other MN JR club members. We went in to sign up and got ready to ride. My dad had parked the van in the first spot in the parking lot and it was right by the first turn. The promoter can up and asked my dad to move the van. He was worried a rider might hit the van. My dad told him, I’m not worried about the van. The promoter told my dad he wasn’t either. He was worried about the rider that may hit it. So my dad moved the van. It was kind of funny.

I went out to ride a warm up lap with the MN JR coach, Bruce, Alex ( another Team Balance racer ) and Liam. When we got done with the lap we were all sitting on our bikes and the MN JR coach was talking about how hard the course was and how difficult of race it is going to be. My dad called me to come talk to him. He said ” Don’t listen to him. You just go out and have fun and do the best you can. I love you” I told my dad OK. I had 20 min. before my race so I stretched out some more and Alex and Bruce went for another warm up lap. Mason went with on Liams mountain bike. I was glad Mason tried a lap.

10:00am Race time. I lined up right in the front row. Three bikes over on the inside. I wanted to set myself up for a win right from the start. There was my group boys 10-14, boys 15-18, girls 10-14, girls 15-18 in the first wave. Than the women’s class went out behind us. I got a great start and was in second place overall heading into the woods. I new I would be good in the sand and there was a ravine that a lot of people were worried about. The race was harder that I thought it was going to be. 30 minutes as hard as you can go seams like a long time. It was great to have my dad, Bruce, Levi, Mason, Liam and Alex all cheering me on. My dad, Levi and Bruce were on a long up hill cheering. That was huge. It helped a lot. I ended up first in my class and had a lot of fun. I have my work cut out for me though. In the 15-18 year old class there are some fast guys. I am going to train even harder to try to get to there fitness level. I want to be the most physically fit Road Racer my age in the world. The harder I work to achieve my goals the more GOD will Bless me.

I would like to Thank Lisa and Bruce Martens for buying me the full titanium cyclocross bike. Bruce for training me. Alex for the Cyclocross shoes. My dad, Mason, Levi and Liam for cheering me on. The MN JR Cycling Coaches. My mom and dad for getting me to races and supporting me.