Skoda Velothon

This is Ian.

Last week my family and I took a four-day weekend up to Berlin so my dad and I could race in the Skoda Velothon.  I took Friday off from school so we could drive up and have time to see the horses for Eliza,  and also time to stay at Wittenberg without having to rush.  After staying in Wittenberg, (touring the city for a day, and having ice cream for dinner), we drove to Berlin and settled in to our apartment.  The next day,  we walked around looking at the sights after picking up the race packages for my dad and me.  We also went to the LEGOLAND discovery center for Lars.

After the Lego center, we walked down to the TV tower, which was also right next to the Aquarium where my mom, Lars and Eliza would be going while my dad and I were racing on Sunday, May 30th.

The contents of the race kit were:

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  a bag
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  a map of the course
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  a water bottle
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  travel soap
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  a saddle bag
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  mints in a plastic jersey shape
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  tons of ads and magazines
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  a drink mix
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  an energy gel
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  and the race numbers:  one for the bike, the other to go on the back of my LIVESTRONG jersey.

My dad and I woke up at 0600 the next morning, ate breakfast, and then rode our bikes to the start at the Brandenburger Tor about two miles away.  I started at 0820, so I went and lined up with my start group. After rolling down the starting street through Brandenburger Tor, I say my dad standing at the last turn before the clocks started and every one started riding for real.  After I passed under the starting gate, I was amazed to find that I was with the leading group for my start block. Where I was, speeds were about 35-40 kilometers per hour (20-27 miles per hour) for the first hour.   I amazed myself by being able to ride at that pace without maximum effort!  I rode at a fast and easy pace for the whole ride and came in 26th for my age group of a minimum age of 15 years, even though I’m 14.  My final time was two hours, seventeen minutes.