I had lots of pround mommy moments this last weekend while my son Carson competed in the final WORCS (Western Off-road Championship Series - MX) race of the season.
No one understands the training involved to win... riding every day until they are exhausted, racing through the desert like a wildman with a death wish, lifting weights, riding bicycles up and down hills to build endurance, tweaking and fine tuning the settings on your bike so it reacts consistantly with every move your body makes. This sport is definitely not for the weak or unmotivated.
As a parent of a desert racer, I can honestly say that watching a race brings out every single emotion a person could ever feel...
Anxiety...that his bike will perform and withstand the brutal beating it will undergo
Fear...that my son could possibly die or become seriously hurt
Agrivation...that other riders are careless or not well trained
Worry...that his last broken bones are healed enough to hold up
Anger...that sometimes the most deserving person doesn't always win
Sadness...to see your son get a bad start at the gate and be trapped in the middle of the pack
Anticipation...waiting for your child to appear after his first 10 mile loop through the harsh desert
Excitement... to see that your son has passed half the field while in the desert to appear in first place
Embarassment...to see other spectators watching you do the fist pump happy dance
Trepidation...waiting for the next few laps to see if he appears from the desert in one piece.
Happiness...that he is still in the lead
Frustration...that your son is in the lead and is showing off doing whips over the big jumps
Pure Joy...watching your son do better than he has ever done in his life
Satisfaction...knowing all your harping, nagging, and coaching has finally paid off
Pride...seeing the elation on your son's face as he is presented with a trophy which he has worked so
hard to earn
Yep, it was an emotional day. But, one of the happiest of my life. Congratulations Carson...I'm so proud of you.