Hallo-what?

Halloween? What? Haha.... I totally forgot that today was Halloween! After the exciting weekend we had I didn't even think about it. I have withheld from posting because I am trying to avoid being sappy because Jordan is now officially 14 years old, as of yesterday. I am struggling with this, hence the Empty Next post last time so I will move right along to the Race Report.
 We finally had a weekend back with our MSG Family this weekend and did a little birthday celebration for J as well. It was great. He thinks ...correction WE think so highly of our MSG peeps and it worked out well. I ordered cupcakes from Bonnie Kate Cafe in Elizabethton (seriously check them out) and everyone brought snacks and it was just an awesome day.

I mean seriously, who would NOT love a cake with their pic on it doing an awesome wheelie covered in mud?? Thanks Bonnie Kate!! http://www.thebonniekate.com/

 Anyway, so this was to be Jordan's first Cat 3 MSG Race and this kid was SOOOOO stoked! He woke up at 6:30 am and was ready to go. He pushed himself and it showed. He had a nice gap on the rest of the field, but today was SUPER special. He got to race against his Dad. Something he has thought of since he started racing bicycles 5 years ago. They stuck together for quite some time too and then he got a chance to take off and boy did he ever! He led the rest of the race and came in for a sweet birthday win!

It was a little crazy and I didn't get much time to watch everyone else because I was trying to be birthday mom and get cupcakes and snacks together, but I did get to help with bombarding Funny Alan with icing. Too much fun!.....and I got to grab this pic of some great Juniors who I promise you right now will make a major impact one day in cycling. These are four of the greatest kids I know (yes one of them is mine so I guess that doesn't count)

It was an exciting day! Then on Sunday we took off to Boone, NC for Boone-Town Throwdown, and boy was it a Throwdown! I am gonna just say we may not have quantity with MSG but we have quality! AND we have some of the best hecklers around. It was a great day. Nolan, Connor and Jordan decided to ride the Juniors race for a warm-up and it was nice to see them all three riding together.

We did have a big crew and a rider in several categories. Grace did awesome in Cat 4's and Megan.... well she brought it! I am amazed and these ladies and how they climbed the run-up like it was nothing. Jamie totally shouldered the bike like a pro! Funny Alan broke a record with the first ride up of the run up of the day and it was awesome! (ride up the run up?) J rode Cat 3's and he rode hard. He started from the back and worked his way up towards the front but just couldn't catch a wheel. The last lap he had pain in his face, which as a cycling mom is something that is bittersweet to watch. Yes I am glad to see that he's not giving up, but it's hard to watch him and know that his legs are just giving out on him. He finished 21st in a field of 50. Not to shabby for the youngest kid in the race. Everyone else did so well, and I enjoy watching them race. Regardless of how they each feel personally, they are all heros in my book. I mean these people get on their bikes for 30-45 minutes and ride their guts out and don't give up. To me, you are all winners!  I am like a proud mom to everyone.It's pretty awesome to be included in this great group of people. WE HECKLE BECAUSE WE CARE.
Time to pack the cowbells because next stop: Cincinnati, OH for the Cincy 3 Cyclocross Festival!

Empty Nest?

Is it possible to have Empty Nest when your child is almost 14 years old? I already feel like he's growing up so fast and I can't push the pause button. It seems like just yesterday he was running around in diapers, but actually yesterday was 8th grade recognition.... He couldn't quite grasp why I was running around the house like a chicken with their head cut off. "It's no big deal mom, just walk out and they call our names" and my response was kinda like this : "NO BIG DEAL? What, Jordan this is the last 8th grade recognition you will EVER have" Ok so maybe I don't do this whole my baby is growing up thing well. Mainly because he's my one and only and once he's gone to college (which isn't very far away) then what the heck am I gonna do? Freedom! You Say? Yes Freedom from making breakfasts, lunches, fussing about dirty laundry and cycling bits and pieces everywhere. Not to mention the races every single weekend.(sigh) Ok, I am getting ahead of myself for now, but for the record I am not ready for this growing up stuff!

 Now for the race report. Because of course there is a race report. Saturday J-man had to do TN State Qualifying Race for Cross Country and he had to miss his very first Cat 3 Race. He was bummed at first, that is until he won the Trailblazer Invitational. He ran 2.2 miles in 11:45, which was pretty stinking awesome. Out of 203 runners he started out pretty hard and about halfway through got passed by two guys and I just knew he was going to get 3rd (which is great) and at the last minute right before the finish line J-man put the pedal to the metal and flew past his component and came in for the win. His team had awesome finishes as well! Zach 7th , Noah and Connor 19th and 20th which got us 2nd place for this awesome group of kids. State here we come!

Sunday we loaded up all of our MSG peeps and traveled over the mountain to visit Asheville Cyclocross at Pisgah Brewery. Always a fun race and this was Jordan's first Cat 3 race. He and Connor Tank's first race together and I swear I think they had sooooo much fun! You could see the grin's on their faces the whole time and they motivate each other well. They both finished great and I am proud of both of them.

 I think this picture says it all!









Of course we couldn't leave our heckling at home

Pappa Tank showing some love to Funny Alan. We all love each other, can't ya tell?

Another great weekend with our cycling family and this coming up Saturday is TN State Cross Country Meet. What will we do with no cycling? Rest up for the next 3 racing weekends I suppose.

House of Crazy!

The title of my post today is exactly how I feel right now, but a good crazy not a bad crazy.
 Once again we had a wonderful weekend with our MSG family and Jordan did awesome in his Cat 4 Rainy Muddy Race. The past four races seem to have what I've called the "Cat 4 Rain Curse" It seems like every time they call for staging it starts raining, and when I say raining I am not talking about a slight drizzle, this is something like what you would feel if standing under a waterfall, but this is Cyclo- Cross and its just not right without rain and mud so we suck it up and deal. J had a great race weekend again and won the Cat 4's races. He was pretty upset because we tried to upgrade to a Cat 3 last week and for days we probably checked USA Cycling website and all we got back was a big fat red PENDING! Not sure why they have to be so harsh, haha I mean this kid asked me every second for 4 days " have they changed it mom? huh?" Finally they changed it on Monday after his weekend of racing. Which was OK, that gave him some more experience under his belt before he moves up. So that was just some of the crazy in my house, the rest was the face that we started the beloved job of tearing his Road Bike down (he's outgrown in already). Not exactly a 30 minute project but he's been really good with having his new Bike frameset sitting in his room for almost 2 weeks and not tore the box to pieces! So when those big brown eyes ask  " Can we PUUUULLLEEAAASSEEE start the process of tearing and building bikes?" I mean what can you say? Originally we were going to wait and leave his new frame in the box because we bought it a little big but since the kid has hit the 6' tall mark this week..... I think we are safe! 6'! I can't believe my 13 year old is 6'! It's like it happened over night! So commence bike build. Then we had what MOM thought was very exciting.......
    Middle School Homecoming. Something that he for the past few years had been to shy to participate in so when he came home and said Ok Mom, I will do it this year I was ecstatic! Shopping for a boy vs a girl is something I am thankful for. He cleans up well considering this weekend he looked like this:

 Two days later he looked this:

   My baby boy is growing up!














 More racing, riding or running this weekend! Can't wait to see our MSG Family again. We have the best group of peeps and everyone plays a role in Jordan's cycling and his learning about being a good team mate. He is experiencing what some people only wish they could and he will become a better person for it.

Mud, Sweat and Gears...And more MUD!

Wow! If you ever wondered what Cyclocross is about, you should have been there this weekend for the MSG Kickoff. It had rained the night before so it was already muddy, but then a torrential downpour started right at the beginning of J's race. Yipee! Mom got to stand out in the rain with a leaky umbrella in one hand and my nifty little Canon Power Shot in the other. I think Jordan had the most fun he's had at a race in a long time. Not only because he raced awesome in his Cat 4 races but because he truly had FUN! Why wouldn't he? Two days playing in the mud with some of our most favorite peeps.
 I mean, can't you just see the fun in his face?

and the best part of it all..... They washed off all the mud in the river! haha... the total East TN Way!

Can't wait for another fun filled and possibly Mud Filled weekend!