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From the Editor - Nomad News November 2005
#7 - 4--alistair--From the Editor - Nomad News November 2005--2005-11-25 09:47:33
#Well here it is the along awaited November edition of the new Magazine for the Sussex Nomads “The Nomads Post”. Ok it's not quite Cycling Weekly or Cycle Sport but unlike these professionally produced magazines it’s FREE and more importantly its all about us The Sussex Nomads. Oh and just a warning here while I have the chance. Any views published are those of the individual authors and do not represent the Editors, club or committee's views and policy.
First of all dear readers my deepest apologies for not getting this Magazine out to you all sooner, but due to considerable personal problems I have been unable to get my act together to publish this magazine.
You see life sometimes can be really - well really rubbish to put it politely You know there are numerous things in life that gets one down But here it is, yes where we all get lucky call it an addiction if you like but god, going out on your bike has to be a good antidote to life's bad times I am sure our new coach Dan Bennett can explain more about those amazing endomorphines that produce a natural high all I know is that they are great I reckon we are all just endomorphine junkies with our preferred way of mainlining being cycling??? I know I am because of late going out on the bike has been a sanctuary for my soul a way dissolving problems and clearing the mind.
We’re all just lucky to be in this sport and to be in this great club? If you have any doubts about that feel free to help improve the club by going to the AGM and put your views across! Why you could even put your name forward for the position of sub editor of the Nomads Post ok ok don't panic I’m only joking. So anyhow what about the front cover then Yes that's Adam our brightest hope for future glory. He was so strong this year on the track I am sure he can only get better Without doubt he will go far in this sport and Adam if your reading this aim high, you might be surprised just how far and high that is.
It seems as I write that the cub runs are going to be split into two from now on (r might be wrong) into slow and fast groups I understand that some people want to go faster (I am with you on that) but do we really need to leave out the tea stop if we join the fast group? Please tell me we aren't going to leave out the tea stop in the fast group ????
I have been a member of many clubs with riders a lot faster than anybody in our club at present and they always stopped for a tea and even a cake OK my mind is open to any good reasons to be miserable speed freaks and not have a cup of tea and a chat at a coffee shop but surely that goes against tradition.
We are taking about the “Holy Grail” of cycling here tea and a cake goes with club runs In danger of sounding really old, in my day (mmmm I am old) many of the clubs would meet up at 8am and ride for 3hrs then stop for a coffee etc. The fast and slow group/s (the slow group who would set off later around 9am) would meet up at the same place at the same time for a coffee with the fast group. The general rule for the serious and fast would be to do around 90miles with a tea stop of around 30 to 40 min. and to get home about 13301 1400hrs. OK! That was then (I was young) and this is now and most of us have different priorities. But we can still get fit and drink tea etc and chat I really believe that and what's more we must remember team camaraderie.
How can we have this if there is no stop and all we are doing is just training! Can we at least keep the tea stop up till Xmas or do all you fast guys want to start at 8am?? How does 90miles sound?
Continued...
- Now I know none of us have the time these days being a somewhat aged club at present we have partners families etc that demand our attention so the mega miles training / club rides that I used to do and the time it took well it’s not on. So we maybe have to evolve from the old way of thinking, of a hard grind on a Sunday of many miles and listen to our new coach, Dan Bennett. Thankfully it seems that most of us are taking note of what Dan is saying and it seems that out on the road he has control of our erratic ways and we are starting to work more like a team (going by last Sunday). Instead of blasting away up a hill or racing for a 30mph sign (guilty) Most of the time people were happy to ride in the group at the elevated cruising speed.
Now you all know where I am coming from. I think there should be a tea stop on a club run but just because that's what I think doesn't make me right. Or does it? No! No! Look if people want to race next year there is no doubt that the club run is too slow there is no getting away from that.To be of a competitive nature next year, I regret to say that and simplifying it a bit but, our average speed should be more like 20mph on a club run than 14mph which has been the case with Sussex Nomads club runs in the past.
So here I am again caught between two ways of thinking.There are the speed freaks that want to use what time they have to get even faster and the idea of sitting in a cafe getting cold and talking about the new campag or shimano equipment is just pointless. Why they can do at least an extra 15 miles while others sip their tea and eat their cake and custard and impress each other with their talk about their new wheels; which should make at least 10seconds difference on a ten mile T.T. No! these speed freaks know that good times come from good training not talking!
Then on the other side there are the social bods that make a club work. The corner stone of any cycling club. The guys and girls that understand that.. Cycling is not just about going all out, i.e. turning to look at the strained face of the cyclist you ride with but unable to make conversation due to the pace of the bunch. No! these guys know that a tea stop is so very important. Why without the
tea stop hardly anybody would know each others names. Of course all tea stop fanatics know the
real reasons why people become speed freaks it's because they are boring and well very shy and so take comfort from higher m.p.h. where people can't talk. Well allegedly anyway!
So what is it to be “Jedi Nomad the Dark Side” with its increased power or the good side with its tea and cream cakes? Well call me Darth Vader or just daft but I reluctantly go with the speed freaks. Yes! so be it then, no stop, no tea, no cake! But if things don't work out and the speed freaks can't work together and become synchronised with each other becoming “one” thanks to our guru Dan Bennett. Then I am out of here straight down the tea room with the fun people.
Oh! by the way did I tell you? I have bought some new wheels they’re really great :-) they're Shimano!?!
Simply put, the two groups on a Sunday is here to stay, I feel. And one has to take the good with the bad of whichever group they go with. At least when we have new members the slow group will be a good place to start, without people going crazzzzzzzzzy on hills, yes yes!, and sprinting for 30mph signs like silly speed freaks.
Rupert Rivett – November 2005
Editor Nomad News
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