Riding his mountain bike.
The 13-year-old Hopwood Junior High School student has entered his second year into the world of cycling and hopes to get serious with his training.
“I started training two years ago with a Giant mountain bike my dad bought from a garage sale. He told me that biking is a good sport,” said Castro.
Both he and his dad Ricky first recalled his first bicycle when he was four years old. Erico, breaking his dependence on training wheels, later crossed worlds with soccer before returning to the sport he’s known to love.
“It was kinda hard at first, but now I got stronger. During my first time, going uphill was a difficult challenge.”
With the help of his dad, young Erico moved on to Cannondale and Titus bikes to compete in select races on island.
Castro’s first raced in the Northern Passage and advanced to the Bike For Life’s 50-kilometer course. Last month, he posted one hour, 10 minutes, and 24 seconds to top 74 cyclists in the 30km course of his second Bike For Life race.
While training, Castro preferred mountain biking compared to cruising on the road.
“I like mountain bikes better because it’s exciting and there’s a lot to encounter. I love to ride the trails in Saipan. I like the Mt. Tapochau trail the best because it’s very close to my house and it’s not too far like Marpi,” he said.
Currently, he is coached by fellow cyclist Bob Ferrer.
Castro travels to the Airport and Obyan and Ladder Beach in the weekdays. He virtually goes “anywhere” in the weekends, following friends around the island.
As far as competition is concerned, he considers everyone to be “pretty strong” and needs “more training to keep up to their pace.”
Castro first tried soccer at the age of 10, representing Tan Holdings Football Club and Independent FC.
He however, considered cycling to be “entirely different,” especially with a rare number of cyclists competing in Saipan at his age.
“With biking,” Castro said, “you can go anywhere. It’s not like basketball where you’re just in one place. It has a different kind of feeling.
“To everyone else, just try it out. Don’t judge a sport before you try it because you might not know if it’s fun or not.”
Erico seeks to try his very first 50km Pre-Hell of the Marianas race next weekend.
By then, he might consider throwing a bone at its bigger sister — the 100km HOM in December.
“I’m looking forward to winning more races and doing better at trails,” he humbly noted.
“Later on I’ll get serious with my training. For now I’m not aggressive.”
Castro, who often looks up to veteran bikers Lewie Tenorio and Butch Sublemente, ultimately hopes to race in France and the United States.
He thanks his parents and his fellow cyclists on island for their support.
