113 – Raising The Next Generation with Hannah Mullan and Her Dad
Todays Guest
Hannah Mullan and her dad Kristian Mullan talk about what it takes to be one of the fastest 13 year old racers on the planet.
On episode #113 we are chatting with Hannah Mullan and her dad Kristian. I wanted to get both Hannah and Kristian on the show, one to chat about how Hannah’s race season has been going (I will let you into a little secret…it has been very good) but also to chat with Kristian as a parent and what sacrifices it takes to support Hannah’s very full race calendar. Now, if you wanted to race every weekend in Ireland and Northern Ireland over the racing season, you could. The calendar is packed with everything form Cross Country to Downhill and even though most riders will only participate in one category, their weekend calendar of racing will still be pretty full.
Looking at the amount of events Hannah has attended over the racing season it got me thinking about the time and money sacrifices you would have to make as a parent to attend all these events, everything from the fuel, the accommodation, the race entrance fees, the list just keeps growing. So I thought it would be a good idea to get Hannah and her dad on the show to chat about these things and shine a light on what it takes to follow the race calendar. I also wanted to get somebody on the show that could help other parents who have kids interested in getting involved in the race scene and are a little concerned about what it may take to do such a thing. The great thing about having Kristian on the show is, he’s very encouraging about the whole scene. He loves going away most weekends, meeting new people and helping Hannah do something she is so passionate about. So it’s a win win in most situations and Kristian wouldn’t change it and enjoys the lifestyle and social aspect that the whole mountain biking community brings.
So tune in and see how Kristian’s support of Hannah has helped her achieve her dreams and become a leader in the young pack of riders coming up through the race scene. Of course we also chat to Hannah about her awesome race season and some exciting news she has for the near future.
Enjoy the show!
Find Out:
- At what age Hannah started riding bikes
- How she was riding the red trails at Davagh when she was 5 years old
- Why Hannah didn’t really want to race at the beginning
- Why her view on racing changed when she got a taste for it
- How Kristian felt about his young daughter wanting to race
- How Kristian doesn’t push Hannah to race or attend certain events and leaves it up to her to decide
- Why Kristian makes sure Hannah doesn’t take it to seriously and enjoys herself
- How Hannah has been helped with sponsors
- What Kristian has to sacrifice so Hannah can follow her dreams and race
- Why Kristian enjoys helping Hannah all he can
- What it costs to attend a full race season
- How Hannah’s 2019 season has gone
- How Hannah felt she performed this season
- Why she loves mountain biking and racing so much
- What it felt like to meet her MTB idols and be standing on podiums
- The exciting sponsorship news Hannah recently received
- What the future looks like for Hannah and her dad
- How to get in contact and follow on social media
Hannah’s race season has been going great over the 2019 season. She has learned a tonne, attended a load of events and even headed to the Scotland Highland Hardline Series and the Scottish Cycling DH Series grabbing a 2nd place at both events (see links below). At home here in Ireland she has been standing on the podium at most races and it is a strange day if Hannah is not opening a bottle of Champagne and spraying it over her fellow contestants. For only being 13 years old Hannah has her sights set on bigger things. She wants to follow in the wheel tracks of her idols like Rachel Atherton and become a pro, but she also knows how difficult that journey will be and is mature enough to realise that the road to becoming a pro can take many different turns filled with both excitement and disappointment. The great thing Hannah has going for her, apart from the awesome help and guidance of her father is, she keeps it fun, she enjoys riding her bike and enjoys racing and if she has a bad day she learns from it, realises it is all part of the journey and moves on. And if you can’t keep it fun at 13 years of age there is something wrong. It should be fun, if you are not enjoying it why are you doing it?
Hannah has the right family support and mind-set to keep all these things in perspective and enjoy the moment for what it really is, riding her bike with friends and enjoying it. Yes, Hannah has the speed, skills and talent to take it further and make it to the pros but for now I think her plan is just right…keep it enjoyable and love the ride. Hannah has had lots of support over the years from sponsors like Green Bikes, who sadly closed their doors this year, but when one door closes another one opens. By listening to Hannah on the podcast you will hear how excited and stoked she was to get a call from Specialized Ireland asking her to be part of the team. This was great news for Hannah and not only because she deserves it for all her hard work and great results but because it would be a sad state of affairs for Ireland if a young rider of Hannah’s talents wouldn’t have the support and backing from a major sponsor like Specialized. So hats off to Specialized Ireland in seeing this and supporting local riders, after all without young riders like Hannah coming onto the scene, in the near future there will be no scene. We need this influx of young riders and racers to keep this thing alive and it is great to see young ladies like Hannah carrying the torch.
It was great to get Kristian on the show and chat about the social and monetary costs of helping Hannah attend a very full race events calendar throughout the year. It is something we never really hear people talking about, and it is something even us weekend warriors can overlook when we are thinking of attending a number of events throughout the year. It all adds up and can be a large whack of your hard earned wage packet, but at the end of the day it’s all worth it. Look at it from this point of view…Would you change it? Would you miss the social aspect of meeting race buddies and friends you only see from race to race? Would you miss that adrenaline felling of speeding between the tape? Would you miss trying to beat your time from last year and maybe even beating your riding buddies time? Then there’s the community, the craic, the podium celebrations. Would you miss it if it all finished overnight? I think you would. I think we all would. Even though attending these events throughout the year is expensive we need them, and for a large number of us bikers it is one of the things that gets us out on our bikes every chance we get. It’s that thought in the back of your mind about that next upcoming race and being better, faster, fitter, it is one of the reasons we do it come rain or shine. So let’s all try and put these monetary issues out of mind, attend what races we can and enjoy the whole experience for what it is…An awesome time with friends on bikes, sure it can’t get any better.
It’s that time again to put your feet up, chill out and hear from one of the fastest teenagers on the planet and how her parents are supporting her racing dreams.
Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the show!
To Connect with Hannah:
Instagram: hannahmullin7325
Facebook: Hannah-Mullin-Racing
Facebook: hannah.mullin
Resources in this Episode:
Hannah would like to take this opportunity to thank all her friends and coaches who have helped her in her biking life so far, along with her family who have always been there for her and supported her. She would also like to thank Conor from Green Bikes for all his help in 2019 and for 2020. Hannah would also like to say a massive thank you to the whole team from Specialized Ireland for giving her support.
Hannah Sponsor:
Instagram: specializedireland
Facebook: specializedireland
Check out Hannah’s reviews of her race trips to the Scottish Cycling DH Series and the Scotland Highland Hardline Series. Links below.
Hannah’s Fortwilliam DH Race Report
Hannah’s Scotland Highland Hardline Race Report
Source: http://womenscycling.ie/hannah-mullins-race-review-of-round-2-of-the-highland-hardline-dh-series/
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Thanks so much to Hannah and her dad Kristian for coming on the show and sharing their story.
And thank you once again for Listening. You make this show happen!
Join me next week for another MTB TRIBE Podcast show!