The benefits of the club 10

The humble club 10 had been losing appeal for me in recent years. Increased work time meant no guarantees of getting off on time to make it and the apathy reached such a height last autumn that someone got an E-bay bargain when I sold my carbon TT bike. Locally this year hasn't started too well with a couple of really bad TT accidents and one tragic fatality.

The roads are getting more dangerous, something I have been more than quick to highlight a number of times in this blog. The rise in popularity of the sportive has seen riders completing a mix of the two types of events and some weekend warriors like myself have chosen between the two bike types and stuck with standard road.

I rode out to watch an open 50 on the A1 service road near me over the weekend and it didnt inspire me watching the long helmetted low pro riding chaps and chapesses chugging past on an out and back course they ride three times... But fortunately it was my turn to marshall our club 10 last night and I feel all the richer for the experience.

It has made me realise that the midweek club 10 is not just about the 'fast men' and chipping off seconds from times, it is an event on the social calendar to talk about the sport and life in general with mates and it was interesting that loads of people ride out to watch even if they aren't participating. Despite it being cold and windy, it made me feel warm and fuzzy. It has reminded me how a club should work...