VOL. 52 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 15, 2015 P65
Although he couldn't stop smiling at the baby-
sized burrito in his arms, it was hard to not think
about what was going on 400 miles to the north
at the base of a wind farm in western Pennsylva-
nia. The Amsoil Grand National Cross Country
Series held its 11th round on a day so foggy the
six 213-foot tall windmills were lost in the haze
blanketing the Allegheny Mountains. Russell had
not missed a GNCC race since March 2006—
when he was a 200 A rider—and his streak of
126 consecutive starts was suddenly halted. For
perspective on this obscure ironman-like feat,
two-time Monster Energy Supercross Champion
Chad Reed has the most all-time consecutive
starts in his own sport: 116.
Between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Russell periodi-
cally checked the live timing and scoring feed to
see how his colleagues were doing. As if learning
to care for one's firstborn wasn't strange enough,
Russell couldn't shake the feeling of how odd
it was to not be racing. He knew he'd achieved
everything expected of him and beyond in 2015
but there was something awkward about knowing
a race was happening and he wasn't in it.
"I felt empty and fulfilled all at the same time,"
he said of enjoying time with his newborn son on
the afternoon of the Mountain Ridge GNCC.
But Russell can't blame his absence on little
Krue. Inside his right knee was an exploded
THERE'S NO WAY I
COULDN'T TRY THIS
AND LIVE WITH
MYSELF. – KAILUB RUSSELL
Kailub and his dad, Jeff (behind Kailub on right),
both have enduro championships.
