The Birthday that wll change the world...

My son's birthday is on August 1st, but we will be celebrating it on August 2nd which is my daughter's birthday. Paris (my son) will be 4 and Geneva (daughter) will be 14. If he is half as gifted in cycling as she is art running this birthday will be the day the Earth changed.

He is getting a bike.

My wife and I we perusing (just wanted to use a big word, probably did not spell it right), we were perusing Spokes Ect when Paris hoped on this thing started pedaling and was flying around the store. People got out of his way. I knew then what needed to be done.

I am in Bend Oregon right now getting ready for Elite Nationals with the Armed Forces Cycling Team, so my wife went to Spokes Ect and got the bike today. I am sure it is dialed in.

I have plans.

I am thinking, before he starts doing any real high speed or sprints, he is going to need some endurance. We will start off with real easy laps around the block which I will video tape for form the first few weeks - and adjust his bike as necessary for maximum power output and aerodynamics. It may be a little early for wind tunnel testing, maybe in a few months.

Without crossing any streets, our block is about a quarter of a mile. During the video/adjustment period he will do no more than 10 laps, which will be timed. I will not do anything crazy like push him too hard or anything but I know he will have it in him to start knocking out well over a hundred laps before the winter comes.

When the winter comes I will fix the bike to the trainer and make shift something like a high chair so he can eat and watch Spiderman and Penguins of Madagascar - which he loves, If he is not on the trainer he will have to watch Barney and Dora - which he hates.

By next spring he will be fit enough to begin interval and sprint workouts and I am thinking about getting him a heart rate monitor and sneaking Brian Butts power meter stuff of his bike and retro fitting it to Paris's bike and getting some historical data thing going like Lance and Chris Charmical.

Next summer, Sol, Parsis's younger brother will be old enough for a bike too, and we will probably get a bit faster bike from Spokes Ect for him than we got for Paris to level the playing field. I can see it now, mini crits around the block, and eventually 50 mile road race around Fort Belvoir.

I can't wait to get home to see his face when he gets that bike!