2011 NCCX, Part 2: Tear Down the Wall!

And they're off!

The plan started out well enough. I got about 200 yards up the path and, at the tip of a wide turn, pulled over and rested on my handlebars for the next wave of racers to start.
This is not meet with the approval of one of the race wardens, who came over to me, shouting:
Fastidious Race Marshall: "Hey, you have to move! The race has started!"
Me: "Yep, I know. I'm in it."
FSM: "No! You've got to move! There's a race going on!"
Me (louder, but smiling): "Yes. I'm a racer. I'm in the race."
FSM (frustrated and, seemingly, perplexed): "You're in the race?"
Me: "Yes."
FSM: "Then why aren't you moving?!"
Me (pointing at "The Wall") : "Because my 11 year old son is also racing and he can't push his bike up that hill."
FSM (clearly frustrated): "Do what you want!"

Which I did. It probably didn't help matters that a few of the CX4 Ladies said hey as they went by. Ha!

Soon, however, the Joooooooonyuhs made their way by me and I rode behind Matt -- down the steep hill and then let him start the hill on his own. About 1/3 of the way up, the bike started to lean and I grabbed the stem and pushed with him. Folks were cheering him on throughout. The effort and embarrassment were too much for the little man and he began to sob as he got on his bike and rode on.

I've learned that encouragement and riding advice during a race is not a good plan with either of my children. During the event, they resent it. Afterward, however, they make fun of it and acknowledge its value. So, I keep it up. I tried to calm him down a bit. He was having none of it. That's when we came up to the Diamond Dave Sandpit.

We rode about 3/4 through the first pit only to have to push through the rest of it and all of the 2nd pit. Folks were, again, encouraging to Matt and he was, still, upset.

Out of the pits, we came to a few S curves and then a straight, muddy drop that ended in a hairpin left turn. Ever-cautious, I crawled down the hill, burning the rubber of my brake pads. Oddly enough, I had to catch Joooonyuh on the following climb. He was breathing heavy and pretty unhappy. He said he didn't want to do another lap and I shared that I only do two laps on average. He said he didn't want any more. So we didn't speak for a while.

Sure enough, that second lap came around and, again, we took The Wall together. By this time, folks are screaming for him and he's just in full sob mode. One unhappy buck.

Still, we rode on, through the pits again and were being passed by the other race leaders. That drop came up and, like a flash, Jooonyuh was down and starting the climb before I even was halfway down! I saw Bob in the bushes at the bottom of the turn and asked if he was alright. He laughed and said he was helping another rider, who'd didn't make the turn. Right, Bob...

See the bike in the bushes? Maybe Bob wasn't kidding!

Next thing you know, our pal, Amanda, who was leading the CX4 Ladies and she cheered for Matt as she went by.

However, Matt is now pushing his bike up the slight climb, with just tears and groans. I tried to take a picture, but he covered his face and got VERY angry (as youngsters are wont to do) saying, "I'm gonna BREAK that camera!" Fair enough.

The hardest part of the race was over and I knew we could finish up with this lap. As we made it to the blacktop, Joooonyuh started to get speed and I had to pull beside him and let him know that if he went much faster, he'd have another lap to do. That pulled him back a bit!

Ease on down, Son!

Oddly, about this point, I saw Dicky from Bad Idea Racing walk by. I thought to call out hey to him, but refrained.

As if just to make it more unpleasant, one of 'The Rich Boys' decided to pass on the right, and shouldered himself between my son and the tape. Sure enough, they both went down. Sure enough, the boy said Joooonyuh was messing up his race. Now. I do declare! That scoundrel was pushin' off on my boy! For his part, Matt got back up and raced on. Class.

Matt was starting to feel upbeat when he realized there would be one more push up The Wall before the finish line. He asked if we could just stop right before it. In fact, we 'discussed' (read: he pleaded and I just kept talking encouragingly) it all the way to the bottom of The Wall itself.

Up one last time, folks cheering him like mad and only the S curves to go! I let him pull away to finish on his own. Racers were encouraging him as they passed, fans were cheering him on from the sidelines and he was done. He went about 15 more feet before he did a cyclocross dismount off his bike, pushing his bike on it's own into the middle of the course, threw off his helmet and fell into an Indian-style sitting posture just outside the tape, and started to cry with his face in his hands.

Some on-lookers helped me get his bike and helmet out of the way and I got him standing again. Bob came over and congratulated Matty on his ride. Folks were telling him how well he did. His comment?
"That sucked. I couldn't breathe."

About five minutes of chit chat went on and then, as if moved by the flick of a light switch, he was happy again. Yes, it was hard. Yes, it sucked. Those sand pits were tough! That kid wrecked into me! Blah.blah.blah.blah.Happiness abounds!

After changing back into our street clothes, we went walking around a bit and ran into Amanda, who ended up winning the CX4 Ladies race, and her friend, Meaghan. She looked at Matt, told him he did great. Then she said, "I was close to you when you went down that hill and, then, you pulled away! You flew down that hill and I just screamed for you! Aaaaaaagh!" You should've seen the smile on young Joooonyuh's face.

Joooonyuh is a hit with the Lady cyclists!

Turns out that our boy finished 6th of 6th, but he finished. Furthermore, he did so with honor and integrity intact. Hard to ask for more than that from anyone.