Trials, Tulsa Tough, and Toddlers

Buckle up- we've got a big update after a weekend full of two-wheeled adventures with Finn. :)

As Nina and I have observed Finn's bicycling development, we have agreed that maybe he would enjoy and benefit from Observed Trials motorcycling someday, as it's low speed and lower risk, but builds critical balance and skills for offroad motorcycling/bicycling. Also, it requires very little space. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_trials. So, when I saw that NEOTT was hosting a big trials event on Saturday, we made plans for Finn and I to attend. It was at a great location where Finn could ride around over obstacles, which he loves to do. And he got to see (older) kids competing in trials. Plus, he got to see a girl have a minor getoff and recover quickly, so we got to talk about crashing again. He still brings up the fact that he crashed at the BMX race last weekend. But it seems that, though it made an impression, he isn't traumatized by it. With his toddler patience, we only spent an hour at the trials event, most of which was spent riding his bicycle over rocks, logs, or through the mud. In all it was promising and I hope to chat with some parents of young trials riders someday. We left the trials event and headed to get some lunch. Finn specifically requested chicken nuggets and a burger. So we went to Wendy's for a feast.

 

With a fresh chocolate milk moustache and a nice meal of nuggets, fries, and a few bites of a burger, we checked the event schedule for the St. Francis Tulsa Tough road bicycling weekend hoping to go watch some bicycle racing in the evening. I noticed that the schedule had a kid's race for 9yo or younger at 2pm. It was almost 1pm and we were having lunch nearby, so it seemed like fate. The race was free with registration onsite and the only requirements were helmet and bicycle. We had both with us.

So we beat feet to find a parking spot and hustled toward the registration booth. I made a minor miscalculation about how far away it was, so we found ourselves hiking in the muggy heat of downtown Tulsa (with me carrying a bike, helmet, and toddler for most of the distance). Finn decided to run for part of it (in the shade) and he tripped, landing on his left cheek (a bit pink and tender in the image below). After a short recovery period, we made it to registration for a waiver and then to the start.

A surprisingly large number of kids participated in the "race", which was really more of a parade. All ages, shapes, and sizes. Everything from balance bikes to training wheels, to pedal bikes. We hid in the shade of a popup canopy near the start trying to stay cool until the race commenced. Finn conversed with his fellow racer about helmets. Compared to the predictable structure of his BMX racing events, this was a bit overwhelming for both of us. 

When the time was right, we were all ushered out onto the starting line. Balance bikes were directed to the back of the pack, which made sense because they would be slowest in a mass start. However, they didn't really account for the fact that smaller kids have thinner patience (as do their sweating parents). Finn had trouble coping with the fact that we had to just stand out there in a big group and wait for our turn. At times, I had to physically restrain him from going up to the front of the pack. I feared that he might erupt into a tantrum if they didn't start us soon. 

Instead of a mass start, they ran us in waves (or rows), so that made the waiting even more difficult. They did their best to put kids of seemingly equivalent bicycles on the same line together. All said, we were still in the last row. The race course was a couple hundred meters long and straight. The barriers were lined with gracious and enthusiastic fans cheering them on, which was great. Lots of cow bells and vuvuzelas were mixed in with the clapping and cheers of encouragement. As Finn often does during the BMX races, his head swivels around as he looks at the scenery. I'm always trying to encourage him to be 1) eyes forward, 2) hands on the grips, 3), butt on the seat, and 4) pedal pedal pedal. But here, with no hills or curves, he had a bit more freedom to look around without consequence. I think it was a great experience and he seemed to enjoy it. Great to see that enthusiasm.

He had a nice start and made a couple passes. For once, he wasn't the slowest rider. :)

The announcers were commenting on the racers as they neared or crossed the finish line. They were impressed with his full face helmet and number plate, so they cheered on #434.

Adjacent to the finish line, we went into Guthrie Green and Finn was greeted by a frenzy of kids playing in bubbles.

Sunday was BMX race day, and having learned our lessons on previous weekends, we decided that having a shade canopy and being able to stay cool was absolutely essential. I wanted to give Finn more opportunity to do some practice laps, as I feel that his comfort level on the hills would benefit from some more repetition. So we arrived early and set our pit next to a shade tree for a comfortable experience. There was a nice breeze and we settled in for a more relaxing experience. So I thought.

Nina sent a cooling mat with us, so we put that down and Finn considered taking a nap, but didn't. Instead, he fixated on a mud puddle out in the parking lot ... in full sun. I'm ok with him playing in the mud because I want him to have an enjoyable time out here. But, I also have to be a conscientious parent with an eye on why we're here, how vulnerable he is to sunburn, and how hot and muggy it is. So I gave him about as much freedom as I could muster. That's when we started butting heads. I don't possess Nina's level of patience, so the next hour was a challenge for us. We got registered for the race, but Finn showed little to no interest in anything but doing what I didn't want him to do- play in the mud out in the full sun. We did no practice laps. He rode for 2 minutes on the grass track practice area. I tried to keep him fed with snacks and hydrated, but we were otherwise just not seeing eye to eye. I feared we were on the verge of a total meltdown and he showed no interest in racing at all. In the end, he always has consent to do it or not, so I figured this would be the time he crapped out.

I did what I could to relay this to Nina, who had managed to finish her work appointments and was on her way to see us. So I told Finn that his mama was coming and asked if he wanted to race or not. He said yes. In the nick of time. Minutes later, we donned the helmet and headed to the start. He had already demanded to ride his green bike, so I swapped the number plate and we lined up at the start with no practice laps.

He had his best race ever. Requiring very little assistance from me, he coasted and climbed most of the hills. Stayed upright and mostly kept his eyes forward. He fixated on a cone inside of the big curve and decided to stop and bump his tire against it repeatedly on the final lap instead of riding forward. These cones really serve no purpose but to be a distraction for him. Sometimes he weaves between them, other times he goes inside them completely, despite my instruction. As he gains focus, hopefully this will pass. Maybe it's something we can work on at home.

Unfortunately, Nina didn't get to see the race, but she was there for the medal and podium photo. I like to think that the idea of her presence helped him focus on the race and I look forward to her assistance in coaching him along through frustrating moments.

Post-race, Finn rewarded himself by playing in the sand- the next best thing to mud. Then we went for ice cream and a long, much-needed nap.