We got back a few days ago from Nationals. I had hoped to do better than I did, especially in the 500-meter which I think is my best race. My time was very close to my personal best, but most everyone else was running faster than their best times out there, so I finished 18th. I was looking at some of the other guys that I have raced against and beaten in the 500, and their times were about 2 seconds lower than mine, so I think that finishing in the top 10 for that race could have happened if I wouldn't have bonked it at the start.  I wanted to finish top 20 at the end, but with my crash in the last race I am not sure that I did.



Yep, I crashed in the points race. On the first lap! With another Texas rider!! We just rubbed wheels in the turn, I was below him and lost contact with the track. I went down into his bike, and he came down on top of me. Luckily he was able to get back in the race, but I was done. IT FREAKING HURT! I got some serious rash/wood burns on my right knee, ankle, butt and hip. But the worst part was my right arm was rolled over by his back wheel. I have one big scab from my armpit to my wrist where the wheel twisted across my arm. And of course I have to start school on Monday with all these scabs and srapes! LOL!



There were three other 13 year olds from Texas there, and they did about as well as I did. I think we were all a bit disappointed, but at least we have next year in the same age group. The guy that I crashed with was a 14 year old from our track, and he ended up winning the national title for our age group, so that was a cool thing. 



I was supposed to take a break from cycling for two weeks anyways once Nationals was over, so I'm going to lay low until after school starts.



Kyle

Hey, I got in another order from both of my sponsors and wanted to say that I really, really like both of them.



I like the MotorTabs because it seems to work better than the Gatorade or Powerade that I was using. I think its because of all the salt. Even when I would drink a lot of the other stuff, I didn't feel like I was getting back up to speed quick enough. During practice I drink about a half gallon of water and two bottles of MotorTabs and it is all I need. And the Lemon-Lime and Orange flavors are the best!  I let some people try the Fruit Punch and they liked it, but I prefer the other two better.



I like the Fluid because I have been cycling so much this summer and it helps me recover.  We have been getting up in the middle of the night to drive a long way for morning races, then driving back that day. Or we have driven to Dallas to do two or three races in a weekend and sleeping on someones sofa. All the racing and all the sleeping not on my own bed used to make me sore and major tired, but the Fluid has helped make it easier to get up that next day and ride another race. I don't get the aches and being tired in my muscles like I used to get. I still get tired and sore, but not anywhere as bad as when I wasn't taking the Fluid. Its like I have good aches from racing now instead of bad aches.



Thanks to both MotorTabs and Fluid for helping me train and race better!



Kyle

Well, we are leaving tomorrow morning to go to LA for Junior Track Nationals. I think that I am racing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It has been a long summer, and I have ridden my bike more than I ever have in my life!  Coach Leigh made us do the normal practices twice a week, but we also had motorpacing twice a week for the last month as well.  Also, my dad and I did a lot of travelling for crits here in the state. I think I did 7 or 8 of them this summer, along with the normal track stuff. The last three weekends have been some kind of state championship with crits, time trials and Elite regionals down at the track.  Part of me is a bit tired from all the training, but another part of me knows that I am in the best shape ever. I am surprised I didn't die from heat exhaustion! It has been freaking HOT! LOL!



I'm excited about nationals because I think I trained hard and want to do the best that I can do. I am in a new age group, so I know it won't be like last year when I finished 5th. One of my friends from the Frisco track who finished third last year, Noah, is going as well, along with a whole bunch of other juniors, so I hope we get a bunch of medals. Thanks to my parents and my family for cheering me on. Thanks to Ms Walker and the older juniors at the track who help me out. Oh, thanks to my sponsors MotorTabs and Fluid. I just got refills of both for nationals and I really, really like them. The Lemon-Lime and Orange MotorTabs are the best!



I think my dad is taking the camera and computer to nationals, so maybe we will get some pics posted while we are there.



Kyle

OK, my dad really helped me out this last week by getting me some sweet upgrades for Junior Nationals.  He picked up a set of Mavic Tri-Spoke Carbon Tubulars, Dura Ace cranks and cogs, and a few FSA chainrings. I went ahead and had a new stainless chain put on this weekend as well, and I really like how much better the bike handles. Man, the wheels are FAST! I raced in the Elite Regionals this weekend, even though I am junior-gear restricted and didn't expect to place well, so that I could break them in and get comfortable before heading out to LA.  I actually did a PR in the 200-meter time trial, dropping my time by almost .7 seconds. Down at the track a lot of my teammates are older juniors who have won a ton of stuff and national championships, so they have some really sweet gear. I know it is about the rider and not the bike, but it was still nice to get this gear and pimp my bike out some! LOL!



Kyle

Sponsorhouse

I am now sponsored by Fluid recovery drink!  My first can came in the other day, so I have only had a few days to try the stuff.  My team is starting to train a lot more for Nationals coming up, so I'll get to see how well it works.  At least it tastes good!  I'll write again after a bit and let everyone know how it's working.

Thanks Fluid!

Kyle

Well, I finally had to let go of my Cannondale and get a new frame. We bought it last year about a month before Nationals, and I have already outgrown it. It was 54cm and made for people under 5'10", and at over 6'1" I was really scrunched up on it, but I was really comfortable and familiar with the bike and didn't want to give it up. Besides, it was my first bike and all my awards and medals were won on that bike. My coach and my dad finally got me to see where I needed the bigger frame, so we picked up a 58cm Cannondale.  Pretty much the same bike, except that the old one was "raw" with no paint on the metal and this one is all black.  I know it will take me a few weeks to get used to it, and it feels like it moves around a lot more than the smaller frame, but they say that I look like I am supposed to look instead of being squeezed on the small frame.  Hopefully I will have enough time on it to get comfortable by the time Nationals come around in August. 

Kyle

Hey, I have been sponsored by MotorTabs!  I got my first box in last week and have been using them at the last 3 or 4 practices.  I got the fruit punch flavor, which is OK tasting and I need to try the others, but it really did help me during my workouts.  They make the water sort of carbonated, but that's not bad at all.  I have to take in a lot of salt because of a medical condition, and the MotorTabs give me the same stuff as the other sports drinks but also the sodium that I need as well.  I'm wanting to try the other flavors and getting ready to make my second order. 

Thanks MotorTabs for the sponsorship!

Kyle