Untitled

THEY RIDE THEIR BIKES irl the e!'ening
darkness do\,\.n Queen Street in Toronlo,
Jeff Ste\'-enson kccps his son Maclaren
safe by placing hinself bet$'een thc
scI:en year old and the $'estbound cars. If
iraffic starts to pick up. Jcff eases in e\,'en
closcr so that he's rialing only a foot a$.ay from the boy, a big papa
bear on l.heels hulhing orcr his baby. Wllatel€r amount of tmin
ing makcs t$'o tcammates morph into one lluidly moving organisrn in nces like the Tour de Fmncc, Jelf and Mac h:l.e obr.iousl"v
rnatched that. and morc. in order to h: € achieved that samc
iDstilci io urol'c in s]'nch. In fact. the t$.o ol them may possess
thai sense ol unit"v tenfold- gii.cn that Mac has effectiv'ely been
dcling uefi to his dad sincc he lvas an infant. back then pulled
irlound rh" cil.\ -rroct! in a bike rrailpr.
\Vl]ilc Mac may be too small to bc casily lisible to people in
cars. he s celtainlv ii major' attraction to passersby on thc sidc
$'a)I: young rvoncn smile at the kid :rs he pcdals by them. ancl
c!.cn a construction I\.orker 1\'ith a cigareite dangling out of his
molrth truns to give us a thumbs up. See, M:rc not only cycles like
ir miniaftlre Lancc Almstlong-he loolrs likc olre too. He lides a
Redlinc Flight Micro MiDi racing machine \tith 18-inch road
wheels. $.ears skin-tight compression-technology clrcling pants
or.er his tiny legs arral on straightawa.vs cin lean lbrward on the
aerobarc his dad made for hirrr in ordcl to cut ll.ird resistance
s
and shafe seconcls off his timc.
Later, se1.en ldlomchcs into the lide and halfkay home-$€ d
started at Mac s s'$dmming class in Toronto's $.est end-!\'e re
dolvn bX the lake on the Martin Goodman Tnil. $.hcre ii is quiet.
dnrk and cold- .Ieffrcaches out his hand to nafin Mac's little fingers. Do you \1ant to stop?" he asks his soD. suggesting we can
quit any tine and trke :t strcctcar. But Mac shnkcs his head. He
caD hardl"v be distmctcd Ii'om the goal ol sclllpropelling all the
\a.:u. homc-cxccpt once. \\.hen. rouiding south and across thc
Humber RiIer tsicycle and Pcdcslrian B dge, wc catch sight of
the full moon. orangc and supematurally cnormous as it dses in
the east bcsidc the city skldne. We stop lbr a fer. chilly momcnls
to admir€ it.
'Would it be c1.en bigger if we l!€re o1'er lhere?" Mac asks.
pointing to the holizon. Both Jcff and I srnile trt his qucsiion.
Chasing the moon may sound like the delusional quest ol'a young
dreamer. but for Mac-i'hose odometer lallied 3.5oo kilometres
last snmmcr-that goal is or1\*just beyond reach.
Although Mac, on his junior pedormancc llikc. ma.v stancl out
on a city street. hc sjust one ofthousands of kids $'ho get in!'olYcd
continue to developjunior'-size modcls that cost any$'here from a
couple hundred dollars to nearlJr a thousand. And $'hile thc
smirll raccls that mount thern night not bc rcady lor the OlJ.Inpics in London ihis summcr, son1c among them $'ill surely represent their country in 2o2O.
Michellc Steyenson. Mic s nother' and a casual marathoner,
says hcl son car€ht thc compctitivc bug carly rvhen he finished
in the top 10 in his first h'iathlon. Since then, hes been attractcd
to the thrill ofraces that inyoh.e a podium al lhc Iinish line. \4rh e
TRi KiDS emphasizes Iun ovel win ng by not including med:rls
fbr placing. other races such as the Kids of Steel sedes rc$?rd
vourg athletes IoI thcir compctitir-c spiril.
Mac hinself is partial to cj'clhg only er€nts. as that is r.herc
he excels. Among the rnedals and dbbons that coYcl onc of his
bedroorn lvalls. hc sa]"s hcs most proud ofhis fourth-place finish
in thc Markham GiIo. in southern Ontario, iD {.hich he compct
ed in the 7.2-kilonehe Squirt category for 10 ycar olds. The
Marhham Giro is onc of fivc cvcnts that comprise the Ontario
Youlh Cup Road Series. rrhich alvards points to kids u'ho place
in the top 15r these points accunulate orcr the course ofa season
just
after he'd graduated from
Kindergarteno when the
Stevenson
compctitire cycling and triathlons ir North Amedca each
tcar. Indeed. p:uticipation in these individual sports glo1\.s as
parents seek mor'c waJ's to get kids outside and rnoting thcir
limbs. Onc ofthe first tliathlons Mac finished. a race in the SunRype I'Ri KiDS Sedcs. began as a foul race seies in Poog.
Thlee ye:trs latcr, it has erf zrnded to eight races in Ontario and
hvo in Bdtish Columbia. and in the next couplc ol years it \\'ill
mo\,'e into Alberta and Quebec.
TRi KiDS iNites participants agcs three to 15, and distances
ir
arc age-appropdate and can be completed rvith littte (ifany)training. Most ofter. families $.ho get involvcd in these tJ?es of orga
nizcd 6rnts do it pu]ely for fun. but ihere ar'e also those nulturing pronising athletic talcnl. For the latter, mosi companies that
produce pellormancc bikes-such as Argon 18 and Specii ized-
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CANADIAN FA!] LY
APRI,
Po12
Mac ride5 a Redljne Fliqht 14icro l'4iniracinq machine eith 18- nch road
wheels, wears skintight compression-technolosy cycling panh over histiny
les5 and on stra ightaways car lean {orward on lhe aeroba ro hkdad made {or
him in orderto cui wind resistance and sh:ve seconds oll his lime.
to cletelniDe ir
se
es
winncr.
\Vhilc Mac cqjot"s collectiDg rrencntocs ol' his lictor'ies- his
passion-aDd the rcason hc could coDcei\'|lbLl. hal(r \\_hilt it
d:r-v pedill lltough the conntrf'siclc ol EoIoIc \r'ilh
thc pr'os is graDd scale touring. His pr'clcr'clrce lbr long ricles
lvas spalked iD the suDrner of:o1o. just alter hed glirduatccl
liorn Kindelg2rrtcrr. \vhcn lhc StereDson f2rnil] spcnt a 11.cck
cl'cling thc ncarlj' 6oi) kilonetrcs frorn Tolonlo to Nlontreal. As
Jcll'anrl Nltac tell it. the epic dc lvas NLrc s ideil-solt ol:
\\rhen JeIf {-as grorvilq up in Montrcal. hc uscd to Iide his
bicl.clc 15liitornctles to Ilis Marro s bousc Mamo is Grelic for
gr':rnclrla-to morv hcr litl'n. I r'cmember \\'hcn I fil sl Iodc olcr
thele. Jeff rccirlls as \\_c sit in his lifiDg r'oom alicr' oru I.ide. I
l\'as 1.1and ii lras a big dealto nlc bccause Id onll'er.elgonc thcrc
in thc car with nl'pzrlcnts. I d lccl ihis huge seDse ol accon\)lish
nrcnt. So whon N{ac 1!'as little. oDe ol thc bcdtirne stodes I told
him rvas irboui horv I d bilied to n-r-v Nlarno-s house. Thirt s hol'
thc conccpt ol hirr 11.iDti g to do lhc licle s rrtecl. IIc said. One
da1.. rvheu I Dr biggcr. I tl bike to n1-v II:1no s house fionl here. 'Mnc s l\farrlo Jell"s nother-iilso lives in MoDtrcirl. At that
r'ci1l
iakes to one
timc. he didD f ha\.e anl' idca ol the distance.' Jcff sa1'5.
'Ancl then shc gol sickl Mac interrnpis. calling ont fron the
bath. rvhcr'c hc is \\.anrirg up ftorD ihc dde.
JclI nods. Thats r\-h-v wc didilca ier, he sa]'s. I don't think
$.e
$mrld
ba:t'o
il that \\'asn't the
c:rse.
It wasn t an anbition to scc
how l-oung hc could do it. She got sicli. so I said to hin. Ilyou rc
selious about it. \\-e should start pr'actising. As soon as I snid that.
'
crer"v dzrl. after school hc ltas clmgging rnc out on bilie rides.
Jcff ar)d Mac $ror d head do$.n(orl'n and bacli-33 kilomc
trcs aDd latel add€d aD aYcning r'ide westNard along ihe lake to
polt Credit. anolhcl 20 liilometles. Within i\'ecks. the t\\.o could
spend illl da-v bikirg ancl co\-er nD to 30 kiloDletrcs. I)urirrg thal
t irining. aDd continuing orl allcr ihc N{ontreirl lidc. bic}.cling
becnne a part ofihcir daily lives.
In thc fall. \rhen M:ro n'ns corrmuling to school by bikc- Jcll'
tririncd his son and n group ol his li'icDrls to ridc ir a lleloton. the
elite racing terN lbr a pacli of cl:clists. As ihcl r'ocle the file kilo
metrcs to school and l)ach. the fi\-e bo]rs $'o!rlcl s$.itcll off tlki|g
tlc lcrcl ancl setting tirc pacc.
One rreekend. Jcil look the gloup to a schoolyard tricli and
pllrctiscd a r'ircc l!'ith aD unusuirl goirl: The Insi kid to liDish a lap
m
as slor.l}'as possible tenches thcn to mairtllin
coDtlolzrnd bdlincc. That s horv Mac lcarncd to clo a track stillrd.
Jeff crplains. rcf'en'ing to the ,$ilil]' to stand on orrc s pedals
11'hite keelling the bikc stalioDar'\i :r shill usualll'or y lvihlcsscal
{-ins. C1'clilg
by bike coruiers.
''\bu cir l slart liding ci[l]- cnough. Jell sa]'s. lrhose louls to
his grandnother's housc c1-enlualll tumcd inlo ajob {'olking in
bike sllops throughoul high school tnd uni\€rsitli By thc tirnc a
kicl is cighi or nine. hes dorclopcal some fear itnd lhat fenl is aD
inhibitor for snfety on (hc loacl. Mac s bccn on the road. in a h ail
er. since he rvas an inihnt. Hc s had tlucks |rnd buscs go by him
making lois ol'noise. F:rmiliaril]'is the onlv (hirg l.hat nll.kes rer
-
trcusness go ir\Ilal-.
\Vherr Mac \r'as oD
tlaining
1\-hccls. .Jeff stilrtcd
him on a car_
lcss bike tr.ail, te:rching him to dde in ir stlaight lire irnd olic.!'.
lanes. Noll lr'l,cn \1.e come up to anoiher cl'clist. hc ll say On
peoplc realll'' beaD
Jnur lcfl as 1\'c pass b.r., Jeff s4-s proucll.v.
\vhLrn hc says-Thanl-vou in his tinl littlc \_oittc.'
r-
hat
Wiih th€ helpol hir lithei l'4.c
FeFtainedto ridein a peloton,the
-'
-
.r,.-.,t1:11]'iu.:ackoicvcrti<.
"
.:
Beyo d cvcr]'dirl- cvcling skills- Jcll suppolts NIac s cornpcti
doesD t look ioo far inio the flrtru'e. Sonlctincs he
sal's he \rints to ide in the Toul cle Fr:lncc- ' Jcll sal's. but he puts
his sorr's arDllilion inlo conlc\t. Its his bol'hood dleaD.liLc lnc
rvhcn I-d say Id onc da.v plal'iD thc NHL.
Curt Hirruett- ir folcfirthcr of Cirnadiiu Olympic cycling ilr'ttl
throc lime OIJlrpic medallis{. slallecl ddiDg l\dcn hc $-as 1,1 as r
\\'aI to cr'{)ss-tlirin rl'hile plnf iDg hoclic}r \Vhcn I spoke to lirrr
about lvhat it tirkcs to r'aisc an clitc irthlete. Haurett cDrphirsize.l
tha( parental support is crucial but only so fiir' irs ii lbllows the
hid s ol\.n goals. And those goirls. he suggcsled. n ill likel-v changc.
_Hockcy \\'as our drcarn." Harnett sal.s of his
;'ears grol\.iug
uI. \\'hen I leit the Ont:[io Hocke-v Leaguc to pr.rrsue cycling as
my sirule sport. there \\irs som€ disapDointneDt. lve d iN:cstcd a
lot ol cncrg.!'. into il. Har'nell s lathel got orcr thai. quichl]'. hon'
e\.cr. and $\.itched gears. C1'cling 1vas folcigD io hinl, but lrthcr'
than being resistant. hc said. Wcll. lci s sce $'here this gcrcs. His
fathcr tooh a course i,o llecomc a c)'clirg officiill. and lrvo.rears
ti'c sllcak bui
19 vears old and r'aciDg in tltc Oll"rnpics.
''The Durubcr onc thing lhat ]_ou sce go \\'rcng is a parcrrl puslliDg too hard a[d thc chilcl Dot ha\ing hrrl. Hnrnctt $'arns. -But
thcrcs a balance in thrt too. Ifthe kid is a litlle iired and docsn't
$'art to pursuc thc goal thilt day. as long as its not the sane
encuscs elelv da]', J'ou dde thlough it. As a a(hlcte. ]'ou ha!'c to
r'idc through those davs. '
The Stcl:cnsous arc ccr'tainlv a l'c\r laps alray frcn havinq to
seriousl-r' consider N{acs atl etic firtulo. bul il rnl.thing rvas
ilpllareDt duirlg our rvintcr'ridc. it is l.hai the bol. posscsses the
Dasc€Dt r\'ill to sur\'il€ the kincl of harcl rld). that accompnnics thc
frur ones. And, plesentl-v. NI c is the onc plessuling his patentshc \1m1ts to go on anothcr cpic ddc like the onc (hcy dicl to Mon
h'eal. -I ('ani io li\-e on the bikes ag:rin. is rvhat he tells his lhther.
Once Mirc s bod-v tculpclil(nrc r'ctluns to nol1nal. he energes
in his pl.jaruas and cuds up in his dacls anns. a fleece blilnliei
covcr'iDg then both. As he lrolks i$val_ at a Rice KrisDics squale
thal s hall the size of'his hcilcl. I ask hirn thut ilgc ol.1 question.
''\{ihat do
gror\. r.rl)'l Do
1l.ltnt to bc a
-vou lranl lo do {hen
laicr. Crut lr.as
"\'ou
"vou
pro cyclist?'
His n s\.er docsn i sccln to bothelhis fnthcr. though l fulaginc
it could nean sometling of aD adjus(rncnt lbr the ct''cljrtg ad.t.o_
*I rviurt to ddc iD fhe Tour alc France and thc
caic in the Iirture.
Giro d linlia. NIac says. then pauses. Or'. I niglrt lvaDt to bc a
racc car'alri\.er. @
Mic:rlt TotLb..nrllloi ol'Gro$.ing Up Jung, Comilg of Age ils lhc
Son ol T$o Slrlinlis (DotLhlcrlali. tLutntetl ro ha I i)s.vcholotlist 1t'l1ct1
ho rlnsscr,en
Uenr'-s
old. Or. a u,riter.
.ANAD ANIAI"] LYCA
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