Text, Photos and Video
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews
WINONA LAKE — Henry Wactenpool is 10, but has already been cycling competitively for two years.
The Indianapolis youth placed second in his division for the second year in a row in one of the Do INdiana Off-road mountain bike races on Saturday morning, May 18. Those took place on the Winona Lake trails during the KCV Cycling Club’s 19th annual Fat & Skinny Tire Fest.
Wactenpool, who competes throughout the year, said he does it because “my dad first took me out and I really liked it, so I just kept doing it.”
New to competition Saturday was 15-year-old Andrew McComas of Fort Wayne.
“I wanted to try something new. I like challenging myself,” he said of why he raced Saturday.
McComas said he’d read literature by retired Navy SEAL and ultra marathon runner David Goggins, which inspired him, and was working on being “mentally tough and physically tough.”
“I just want to make sure that I am doing the right things to help my body and help my mind,” he said.
He noted some cycling teams had spoken with him about competing more and he would probably race again.
Following the last competitive D.IN.O. race on the trails, kids 12 and younger did a noncompetitive short race, meant to get them exposed more to cycling.
KCV President Mike Cusick said such events were “a very important part of the future of cycling.”
“A lot of times it starts as just a great family activity of biking together and then you get a chance to maybe learn (skills) a little bit … with different groups … or just riding with more advanced riders,” he said of kids starting to cycle.
“Starting at a younger age really just creates a lot of excitement, a lot of skill building, and it’s just amazing to see that people maintain those skills forever,” continued Cusick. “So that’s why it’s critical for the kids, and it’s just a healthy activity and a healthy outlet for all the energy kids tend to have too, and it’s something the whole family can do together.”
