Today was the day.......BMX race training tonight! Jack has been counting down the days and is very keen to give it a go. So we grabbed all our gear and headed off. We signed him in and grabbed him a bike, helmet and gloves and off he went to join the other beginners and have some fun.

Most mothers would probably be really nervous here worrying that they might get hut - but to tell the truth I wasn't. It's not like he has never crashed his bike before and he probabaly wouldn't hurt himself as much here as on the bitumen road anyway - so I was pretty excited too.

The new kids were grouped together and started on the easiest bit of the track and worked their way backwards through the track until they eventually had a go at starting at the top of the track. Jack did a great job and had lots of fun and was now really, really, really looking forward to his first race on Friday night.

It seemed to take forever for Friday night to arrive - or so Jack thought anyway!! When we arrived at the track he got himself organised with his gear and headed out onto to the track to practise before the race. This was when it happened.....his first crash......over the handlebars......but he got back on and finished riding. It shook him up a bit and ripped his pants and scrapped his back, but he wanted to keep trying....so out he went and kept practising. Eventually it was time for the racing to start. All races were in age groups and they have four races each per night. He was one of the last groups to race, but eventually he was lined up at the start ready for his very first BMX race to start.....and then they were off.....Chris was very excited we cheered and clapped and he came 4th out of the seven starters.

Good first race - Jack was rapt, you could hardly wipe the smile off his face. His second race he came 4th again and then he was starting his third race for the night. He started off really well, came round the first corner in second and was looking good. Third place was gaining when he crashed towards the end and Jack ended up with 2nd!!! He was thrilled. He rode around to us and gave me a big high five and was so excited. Chris had gone around the other side of the track to film him and when Jack saw him coming back, he let out a big "yeah" and threw his arms up in the air in triumph.

His last race of the night started off really well and he was in 2nd place again, when, he stacked it. Over the handlebars in a big stack, but he picked himself up and finished the race. At the end of the night he was exhausted but happy. He told me "I'm really proud of myself tonight Mum" and so he should be he did a great job.