Cycling: A Family Affair

Cycling is a highly competitive sport. It's easy to get caught up with the stresses of life and forget how you even started this crazy sport--why you actually love it so much. For me, it all comes full circle. Last week my family and I celebrated my brothers 19th birthday by, of course, going on a family ride. While out on our ride, I was reminded why and how it all started for me. For me, competition began early on with my brother and sister. Growing up in Asheville, NC we were always out riding either on the trails, the road, or just around our family farm. It was always a competition! Who could climb the hill the fastest, descend the fastest, track stand the longest, and who could come up with better ways to ride up and jump off mom's picnic table. Our poor mom has not had a picnic table in years that hasn't had chain ring damage.
Having a family that loves and supports you is everything. Being there for each other through the high and the low points in this challenging sport is what makes it all worthwhile. We all started racing road bikes at age ten (the earliest possible age to race at that time). We attended our first National championship at ages twelve (me), and fourteen (Grayson) in Bend, OR in 2010. The next year, my sister joined us and we have now attended 11 National championships, all with each other by our sides. You can be certain that we push each other towards excellence, and sometimes we don't like the criticism we dish out to each other. But one thing is for sure, we all want each other to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves, and will never stop helping each other to reach that point. Being there on that ride last week and helping my baby sister climb up those same hills that I did at her age, all the while smiling and laughing, did remind me why I ride.