The 13-year-old Saranac Lake resident recently won the Eastern States Cup (ESC) Downhill race in Plattekill, wrapping up a season that saw him take first in two races and lead the whole U-14 division in points. The ESC is a race circuit that hosts races in the northeast.

But for Hayden, mountain biking isn’t just about winning cups and spraying sparkling cider from the podium. It’s more about fun.

“You can’t be mad or sad when you’re on a bike,” the eighth-grader said. “It’s just not possible. There’s nothing that can give you that feeling except for biking.”

Hayden began riding a bike when he was little, but a few years ago his dad Anthony took him to the Kingdom trails in New Hampshire to try out mountain biking. After getting bit with the bug, Hayden participated in a free clinic at Whiteface Mountain and decided that mountain biking was the sport for him.

Adrian Hayden, a 13-year-old from Saranac Lake, competes in the under-14 circuit of the Eastern States Cup downhill mountain bike race series which takes place at different courses around the northeastern United States. (Photo provided)

Hayden said he also enjoys the trails around Dewey Mountain and Mount Pisgah, and has a number of obstacles set up in his yard in town to practice on. In addition to mountain biking, he also plays soccer at Petrova Middle School and nordic skis in the winter. But that’s mainly to stay in shape for the biking season, which stretches from spring until late fall.

“I just try to stay in shape over the winter, but I start riding as soon as possible, and I’m still riding around the yard in November,” he said.

Hayden races in both downhill and enduro cycling events. Enduro is a cross between downhill and cross country racing, while downhill is more about bombing the trail to get from the top to the bottom as fast as possible.

“It’s really technical,” he says of downhill, noting that race courses are often specially built for races.

Enduro requires a little more work from the rider, as it includes both uphill and downhill sections (“You get to ride the lift up, that’s one good thing,” he laughed when asked about downhill).

Adrian Hayden, a 13-year-old from Saranac Lake, competes in the under-14 circuit of the Eastern States Cup downhill mountain bike race series which takes place at different courses around the northeastern United States. (Photo provided)

Hayden said going from just riding to competing was a pretty nonchalant event in his life.

“Basically my dad just said let’s go to a race,” he said. “I met a bunch of kids there that I ride with now. That’s why I stayed, because I met people and just had a lot of fun.”

Hayden finished in the top three in his first race, but laughed when noting that there were only three kids in his age group for that race.

He now does 10 or 12 races in a season, all over the northeast. He said he’s raced in New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts.

Hayden, on his way to the ESC cup, said he won a couple of races outright, but won the title on points for the year.

Adrian Hayden, a 13-year-old from Saranac Lake, competes in the under-14 circuit of the Eastern States Cup downhill mountain bike race series which takes place at different courses around the northeastern United States. (Photo provided)

“I won the final race and the points, but it was really close between me and my friend, Andrew Driscoll,” he said.

“At first, I came down and then I looked at the clock and I was like nine seconds ahead of my friends and there was only two people left at the top,” he said. “All my friends were looking at me like ‘whoa.’ I was breathing really hard and it was really crazy.”

Hayden’s friendships have kept him emotionally invested in the racing circuit, but when race time comes, those friendships get put on pause for a few minutes.

“As soon as we get on the course, we’re super-competitors,” he said. “But we’re like best friends.”

Hayden said he spends a lot of time biking at Whiteface, but his favorite spots locally are Pisgah or the Craig Wood trails in Lake Placid.

Although Hayden’s mountain biking friends all live outside the area, he said they stay in touch over the winter through group chats about biking.

“We talk to each other a bunch about biking. It’s hard not to,” he laughed. “(In) the summer you wish you were skiing, in the winter you wish you were biking.”

Hayden said his long-term goal is to move on to the World Cup circuit and eventually race professionally.

“(I’d like to) be sponsored by one of the World Cup teams and race all over the world,” he said. “But right now, I’ve just got to keep racing on this circuit and keep winning races.”