BMX Racing and Paintball

I’m sitting here at my computer watching an ESPN special called “The Birth of Big Air” that reminds me of the good old days of BMX. Many who know me don’t know that I used to be big into BMX riding and BMX racing. When I was 13 years old I followed in the footsteps of my then-16 year old brother Kris and got into riding bikes around town, in the yard, and anywhere else where those two wheels and pedals would take us. I was content with just riding around, but Kris took it to the next level when he started going off dirt jumps we had built in the woods and ultimately in the garden (sorry, Mom!). A few months later our family ended up building a complete quarter pipe in our driveway! Yes, in our driveway. It was pretty sweet, and Kris loved it.

Around that time, Kris got into actual BMX racing where kids on 20” wheeled bicycles raced around dirt tracks containing jumps, hills, and the like. After a while of going to racing events and watching my brother excel, I decided to get in on it. I wasn’t nearly as good as my brother, who at one time was ranked #1 in the nation in his age group and class. However, I still wasn’t too bad in my own right; I think it was the year 2000 when I placed 10th in my age group class in the state of Ohio which earned me a trip to the national event held in Columbus, OH every year called the President’s Cup where the top 10 riders in each class in each state come to one of the biggest events of the year, riding for and representing their home states. I did not do too well at the event, but I think one of the two years Kris made it he made the finals but never won anything big.

The President’s Cup may not have been Kris’ best event, but maybe the Grand National in Louisville, KY, may have been. After being ranked #1 in the country in his class, Kris went to the actual national championship event, made it to the main event race, and placed 3rd in the final. The trophy he got, although is shorter than the 6-foot trophies he and I got for qualifying for the President’s Cup, is the most awesome looking trophy ever. If you’ve never seen the collection of BMX racing and freestyle trophies my brother has, you’re missing out. Kris has always been a pioneer of the sport in our area, pushing the limits, helping design the Wooster skate park, and networking with some of the biggest names in the country. Looking back over the past ten years, it’s been fun having a somewhat famous brother whose name (Kris Marcum) can be searched on Google and have every 1st-page result be of him! YouTube is another hot spot for some of his videos, although I think you can find more posted on the sites through a search engine like Google.

With all that aside, it was a fun time of my life when we all were into bikes and having fun doing the stuff we did. Our parents supported us 100% with what was our hobby at the time, as they have always been supportive of anything us brothers have done (there are three of us). When I was in high school I got big into paintball for a while. Some friends from school and I went to play at various parks around the state and eventually competed in paintball tournaments. At Toledo Indoor Paintball we placed 1st in a 3-man rookie tournament, which was probably the highlight of my short-lived career. I still have two guns (paintball “markers”) for sale if anyone is interested. Both shoot well and are well accessorized. Feel free to contact me for any information.

Smile! May God continue to bless you.