'Tis that time. Autumn. Time of change. The colours, the temperature, the air. For a racing cyclist its time to let off some steam with IPAs by the bucket, Hunky Dorys by the skip, Rioja by the vineyard and chicken boxes by, well... the box. In this downtime cyclists are prone to look inwardly and, as a result of not cycling enough to expend excess energy, find fault with themselves, their club or something that requires a bit of angst. It might just be the grease from the late night bag of sinful chips that makes us feel guilty and in need of venting our unhappiness. I know the vinegar does it for me.
Sometimes its easier to just go play soccer and pull a muscle. Sometimes we want to run cross-country or a whole marathon. That's good. That's focus. Sometimes we can drink enough to not think at all. But that has it's own drawbacks. Yep, unfortunately, we find time to think at some point.
Jumping ship is easy. You get to let everyone know how you feel and you go to another club and life is better. This happens. I know, we all know a lot of cyclists super happy in their present club. Like me. Actually, lets look at me for a minute. I left my present club a number of years ago and regretted it. I'd had a great season. My club mates were fundamental to that success. But I didn't recognise it at the time. I left and spent the next few years beating myself up about it. I was the problem. I had sat around at this time of year thinking I could do better elsewhere. I never once snapped out of my Leffe-induced coma of arrogance enough to realise that if I had even the tiniest problem with anyone it was up to me to fix it. A new club wasn't going to solve anything that I could fix myself. And I listened to others. Big mistake. Thankfully I've rectified that and, guess what? I've found my mojo again in the club I should never have left! Longest way round is the shortest way home and all that....
Look, sometimes you have to leave. You could be in a shambles. I have seen that in the last couple of years. There are sportif clubs that have little, lost racers in amongst their ranks who often deserve better.
Similarly there are racing clubs that can't or won't cater for anyone else. Sifting through old cycling calendars will show you a huge increase in the number of clubs. Cycling is booming. But take a closer look and you'll also see many towns with two or three clubs where there was one.
Makes you think!
Look, its completely natural. There's an inherent, Neanderthal want in us humans to expect or seek change in Autumn. There's also an inherent want in us Irish to take out our frustrations on everyone by saying nothing but doing something. Before you send that e-mail why don't you look in the mirror and ask yourself a couple of questions. How about looking at someone that changed clubs a couple of years ago. Are they better? Are they as adrift now as they were? Did they just need a coach? And how about you? Is your grievance one that you have internalised so much and argued with yourself about that really it probably only exists in your own head?
Or the flipside. Will you add something to a new club? Will you cause friction by joining another club? Did your racing year necessitate being part of a club at all? And the jersey...some of them are god awful. Only some clubs are great. Are you good enough? If you are a separatist in your present club won't you just be the same in another?
Really the off-season should be a time to buy beer for your club mates that really are great human beings that share the same mad passion for our gladiatorial sport. Does a silly season even exist considering racing is pure madness and the winter is for building ourselves up to that madness again? Isn't it all silly?
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