Gwinnett BIKEfest

• Well, we were back to our normal crazy schedule this week.  Wednesday night marked the time trial the team has every three weeks.  When Keith isn't escorting some of the younger kids he participates.  Christopher doesn't always participate, but since I was able to go watch this week he wanted to.  He set a PR, which is a "P"ersonal "R"ecord for you bike novices.  He rode an average of 15 mph over 3.2 miles including curves, hills and open road.  He still holds the 7-year-old team record and increased the time to beat.  (Of course, he constantly reminds us that there are no other 7s.  He still doesn't get it's a big deal that he does the course.  By the time they ride back to the course, ride the warm up, the test and the actual time trial, the kids have ridden over 11 miles.

• James was really nervous about the time trial.  He set a PR and age group records at bike camp last week.  He had previously negotiated for a new aero helmet for that record, which we have previously discussed.  We had ordered it and it came in in time for Wednesday's ride.  He was nervous because he set the records on a much flatter course and I think was concerned about how he would do back on the more difficult one.  He didn't quite get his PR, but he did that he is consistently at a new speed.  He rode 21.2 mph on the easier course and 21.0 on the more difficult one.  And, boy did he look good in that new helmet!

• After the time trial and the leg shaving  - that got it's own separate blog- we had 3 days of racing at the Gwinnett BIKEfest.  The first day was the Criterium.  For this kind of race, the total time is set beforehand.  Once the race officials get a sense of the pace, they will then set how many laps are left.  The interesting thing about this particular race is that James as a 10-year-old was racing against 18-year-olds.  The competition was only against 10 - 12 years old, but those older kids were on the course at the same time.  For this race, another kid from his team was selected to be the designated winner so James's job was to support the other kid's win.  He did a great job hanging with the big kids and being in a pack at the end.  The second day was the almost 13-mile road race.  James enjoys road races so he was looking forward to it.  We had to get up at 5 am to get to the start, but it was worth it.  When we got there James found out that he was the designated winner yesterday.  I was so glad I didn't know that until after the race.  The team works hard to position you and it puts a lot of pressure on you to be in position and have those sprinter legs ready.  Fortunately, James was ready and he won.  It was a great win against a field that included at least one rider that is really great whom we compete against quite frequently.  Sunday was the last day - the circuit race.  On the last lap of the day, the sharp left that took so many riders claimed James and one of his teammates so he did not finish.  James fared much better than Dominique, but they should be in good shape for Nationals next week.

Next week will probably be a light week.  We leave next Monday the 4th for Nationals in California.  James will race Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Should be quite an adventure.

Shaving Legs?

When you only have children of one sex, there are certain things you mentally cross off your list.  When we had 2 boys, I gave a sigh of relief for quite a few conversations and issues I just wouldn't have to deal with.  One of those was shaving your legs.  

I remember very well the first time I was allowed to shave my legs.  I had to have been at least 12 or 13.  It took a lot of negotiation and then I did take about 4 inches of the top layer of skin off my shin bone.  But enough about me.  (Notwithstanding the Cycle Mom name, we have established that this blog isn't really about me.)  The point is that the entire "when to, how to, etc" discussion around leg shaving was off my list.

Most of you have probably jumped to where this is leading.  Cyclists shave their legs.  I always thought that it was simply to be more aerodynamic (or just to get attention) so when James started talking about shaving his I thought it was a coup for us to settle on 12ish years old because he would be much faster then (and it would delay the issue 2 years).  Little did I know his dad would totally throw me under the bus and corroborate in a negative assurance kind of way that there are actually 2 other reasons for a cyclist to shave his legs.  (Clearly, "his" legs is appropriate here since "she" cyclists would have many other, unrelated reasons for this ritual.)  There is the "road rash" argument.  I don't feel that I have totally gotten to the bottom of this one.  But it has something to do with the anticipation of crashing, which we seem to do with great regularity, and having to change the bandages.  Why you don't just deal with that pain when it is necessary is quite beyond me, but we've already established this isn't about me.  The second is that "it just proves you're a cyclist."  Hmmm.  I thought the minor (quickly morphing into major) fortune we had invested in this sport proved that.

So, tonight we shaved James's legs.  I gave him a quick primer and warned him of all those tricky places.  He is now convinced it's a task he can handle.  I have to admit I chuckled to myself as I recalled my dad's warning - once you start, you can't stop.

I decided it prudent not to include a picture tonight.  Christopher was there snapping away, but that is the kind of thing that can lead to life long family feuds.  Later, I will back track and give details on James's and Christopher's time trials last night with photos, of course.  The fact that I am now having to revisit every item I had crossed off my mental list was too good to pass up.

Quiet Week

Last week was much more quiet for us - no races, no camps.  Keith and the boys did have a 3-day practicum for Classical Conversations.  That's a homeschool group we're part of that has adopted the classical approach to education.  It's very interesting - based more on how education used to be done.  These guys will learn so much if we are able to stick with it.  While Keith had his training, James had a writing camp and Christopher did a geography/art camp.  Don't tell anyone, but I think James actually enjoyed his class.  Not sure if it was the class or maybe one of the girls in it.  He sure did look nice every day when he went.

We did take a really quick trip to Alabama last night and today.  The pastor who married us and was my pastor in high school retired today.  Keith and I really wanted to go the reception for them.  The boys were well-behaved.  We're working on making eye contact with adults and speaking with big voices.  It was fun because we were able to see a lot of people I haven't seen in a long time.  The boys enjoyed seeing their grandparents and a few games of "offense/defense" with their Papa.  (A game only a former football coach could make up - he sits in his lazy boy and throws the ball to the kids.  Why my mom lets them throw the ball in the house is beyond me.)

This week we're back to our more typical schedule.  Christopher is going to a tennis camp with the tennis pro for our neighborhood.  He's really looking forward to it.  He does enjoy changing sports every season.  Soccer will soon be upon us - 

For James we're back to racing this week.  He has a criterium, a circuit and a road race in Gwinnett County on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  He's really looking forward to them.  We're just happy there's no significant travel involved.  He's very happy that his Papa and Da (my parents) are coming. 

I guess we'll continue the blog.  I've continued to add people to the list and others have ask to be added.  Maybe this way I'll do a better job keeping people updated.  Thanks for tuning in-

Summer Camps

Last week was a fairly big week for us at the Todd household.  Christopher finished swim team and finished his 2nd week of camp at Camp All American.  It's a sports camp at our church.  James finished his second week earlier this summer.  

For his two weeks at camp, James did a week of ropes course and a week of wilderness training.  Christopher's 2 choices were ropes and tennis.  Ropes is particularly interesting for Christopher because he's afraid of heights.  I was so PROUD of him.  He wanted to conquer his fear.  He did everything they offered.  Wow.

Neither of the guys are super fast, but they do enjoy the water and being with the other swimmers.  (James had to miss swim team because of his arm this year.)  For those of you that don't have kids.  Swim meets here can last 4+ hours.  Every Thursday night we gather at a neighborhood pool with hundreds of these kids painted in their spirit colors.  It's a sight to see! 

Last Wednesday through Sunday James attended the team bike camp along with Keith and Nathan, my cousin Lisa's 14-year-old son.  He called Thursday to inform me that I owe him a steak dinner and a new aero helmet.  We had promised a steak dinner for when he broke 20 mph in a time trial.  We had promised a aero helmet if he broke the team's age group speed record.  We felt it was pretty safe last year when the 10-year-old record was 20.5 mph and he was around 18 mph.  I knew we were in trouble when the 50 [mile ride] averaged 20.7 mph.  He averaged 21.2 mph - and was so excited.  I am going to learn to make these rewards a little more "out there."

While they've been gone Christopher and I have hung out and done a lot of math.  He can earn game playing time by doing pages of math.  He wants to play his Indiana Jones game so we've knocked out a ton of math the last few days.

Georgia Cup

A few weekends ago, we trekked down to LaGrange for James's first races since getting released from his broken arm.  He was excited and nervous.

It was a perfect weekend for bike racing.  James did well and was on the podium for the road race.  (Notice he made sure he had team sponsor Power Bar's cap on for the podium.)  The criterium was right in downtown so it was a nice setting.

The races have fueled James's desire to ride and compete.  This past weekend, he and Keith left the house at 5:30 am to meet a bunch of kids and adults from the team for a 50 mile ride.  They averaged 20.7 mph and were back home in time for the second service of church.  James was the youngest one there and loved every minute of it.

Christopher endured it well.  He took an encyclopedia of Indiana Jones movie information and was quite content to devour that over the weekend.  We'll see how he does for 3 days of all James all the time in Orange County for Nationals in August.