A Cyclocross Champion
I started this summer off with wanting to have more people to train on my road bicycle with. I train on the bicycles to stay in shape for road racing motorcycles. I knew Alex at Erik’s bike shop in Roseville MN and he was encouraging me to come out and do a Wednesday night ride with them. He had told me that they do a 40 mile ride and I was not up for that yet. I continued to train on my own and finally felt I could make the 40 mile ride. I had my dad take me over to Erik’s on a hot 90 degree day. Everyone one was meeting out side and the group was going to be lead by Alex Berge and Bruce Martens. Bruce spotted me right off and started in ” You know we are going 40 miles tonight. It going to be really hot. We are going to ride about 20 MPH. Maybe you should do a night that is not so hot for your first time.” My dad and I went in to find Alex. Alex was like ” no worries it will be all go. You will be fine.” My dad left and off we went. It was a tough ride but I was not going to hold them up. I finished the ride. Bruce and I were talking when my dad got back to the store. My dad asked Bruce how I did. Bruce said ” He did great, I was really impressed. I would like you to bring him out again next week if you can. I will bring my tandem bike. As the summer went on we kept training on Wednesday nights. Then the Wednesday night Erik’s rides ended for the year and Alex and Bruce were starting Cyclocross. Alex was pumped this was his sport. Bruce asked my dad if he could take me with to the first race. My dad was reluctant, because he knew I might like it and it would cost us money. This is to be the time of year we are to be saving money for motorcycle road racing. My dad told Bruce I could go and we headed off to St. Cloud on a Sunday morning. I watched all day and had a blast. I just took it all in. Looked at what you needed to race Cyclocross.
Cyclocross Bike Mountain Bike shoes (X)Helmet (X)Biking shorts
Arm Covers Leg Covers (X)Someone to take you to the races
Someone to tune the bike Someone to teach you how to Cyclocross
The things with the (X) in front of them is what I knew I already had. The others would all be need and would cost my family money. The race was about 2 hrs from our house, so on the way home we were all talking and Bruce asked me what I thought. Right away I said “I could do that.” Bruce said that there was another race next weekend. I told them it looks fun but I don’t have a bike or any of the stuff you need. When we got home my dad and Bruce were talking and Bruce asked if my dad minded if I started to race. My dad asked what will Kaleb need to do it? Right away the list popped into my head. I new he was going to say we need to save money and he was right. Bicycling is just train for motorcycle racing. Bruce told My dad If I buy the bike and set him all up. Can he do it? My dad said if you are willing to do that. Bruce said He would train me for motorcycle racing if Kaleb would race bicycles for him and Team Balance Cycling / Erik’s Bike Shop. In less than 2 days I had a mint Sevens full Titanium Cyclocross bike that Bruce and Lisa Martens had bought for me. I won my first race I entered and had a blast. It was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I kept training Cyclocross with Alex and Bruce on Tuesday nights and racing on the weekends. My dad would take me on the nights that Bruce or Alex could not make it. I continued to work hard and won the MN state championships in the snow. I am also the 2010 Cry 10-14 JR Cyclocross Champion. None of this would have been possible if Bruce and Lisa Martens had not believed in me. If my dad would not have taking me to the races. If Alex Berge would not have tuned my bike for free. If my family would not have given up more weekends for racing. Champions aren’t the people that get the trophy. The real Champions are the people that believed that there time and money need to be spent to help someone trying to achieve a goal.