Cyclo Kate

Katie racing at the Foxlake Cyclocross Scottish Championships just 10 minutes from our house. How many 7 year old children awakened with "would you like to do a bike race - now?" would sit bolt upright and say "Yes!" I'm not sure, but I have one.

I knew about the race because I was asked if the East Linton web page could use my Flickr image to advertise the event. Of course, I said yes. But I didn't reckon with the formidable bureaucracy behind the scenes!

We got there with her race bike strapped onto the bike trailer on the back of the tandem (did you get all that?) and so sailed past the car park and right into the event. So far, so good. But at Registration we were turned away! Cue helpfully cute and unhappy child.

Since it's an official British Cycling event, you have to be officially race-licensed to take part. And we're strictly casual. To cut a long (and very nearly teary. And to be honest, very nearly very sweary) story short, the commisaires saw sense and gave Katie an entry. Phew. Cue smiles.

She poured her little heart into this race. It was 10 intense minutes looping around a very, very hilly chunk of the adult course and she matched the lycra-clad stars-of-the-future (all under 8 you understand) at 4 laps. She didn't give up, she kept her Race Face and she made Daddy very proud. The guy on the loud-hailer picked her out again and again, "Come on folks, let's hear it for Katie in the pink outfit!"

Lots of cake and Lucosade afterwards - she turned down hot chocolate for the first time ever! She absolutely loved it. What a star!

It strikes me that I now have someone in the family I can talk to about shared race experience! It's my little, tough Katie. I asked her if it was hard and she said Yes, she did consider giving up but, "I told myself to keep going." Bloody hell. I think my parental bonding just shot up a notch!