Autism and us: a conversation with Ali Clarkson 
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ย. 2024
- Rich Pearson and Ali Clarkson discuss what autism has meant to them and how in particular it has affected their lives, relationships and careers as professional cyclists.
With grateful thanks to Alistair Clarkson for participating in this interview.
If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this video, please feel free to check out some of the helpful links below.
www.nhs.uk/con...
www.counsellin...
www.bacp.co.uk...
www.nationalbu...
Ali is right about the time his Dad and I were determined to get him dressed and off to school, age 13, but that was the epiphany moment as I realised that no system should require us to assault our child to get him to comply, so we withdrew him from school for ‘home education’. . When he was 14 I saw a television programme about Asperger’s and the penny dropped for me so I pursued an official diagnosis through the health system. Having left school at 13, he has no GCSEs but he is equally as bright, or brighter than his sister and brother, both of whom have PhDs! After years of reflection I think our educational system is totally outdated and therefore fails so many of our young people, whether they are on the autistic spectrum or not.
I barely graduated highschool mostly because I just couldn't pay attention, but fast forward to my 30s and I was studying at Cambridge. I can't even imagine how many other young people have been let down by the education system over the years. I bet Ali would love academia though. What could be better than spending hours diving into something you love, writing a paper telling others all about it, and then being congratulated for it!
So pleased you found a way through to achieving and demonstrating your potential. It must have needed great determination and dedication. Very pleased for you.
Institutionalized education is overrated and largely ineffective. School felt like a prison to me as well. After failing to complete 10th grade for the second time, and getting an ultimatum to graduate or find a new place to live (thanks dad), I ended up completing my last 3 years of high school in just 2 weeks.
I'm a late starter at trials (43) and also late diagnosed autistic (48). Socializing is such a barrier. I've tried to use my special interests to bridge that gap, but even within communities (around those special interests) said to be friendly and welcoming I still remain on the outside. Part of me self-disrupts my social efforts, wants to give up, pushes people away, and learns to accept it. I've been trying to write this comment for over twenty minutes. Editing it. Forgotten the train of thought that prompted me to come back. I watched the video when it came out (before I'd got a formal diagnosis). I was thinking about impact of autism on physical ability. Proprioception perhaps. Tensing up perhaps. My negativity arising from social experience impacts my physical ability. It's all so intertwined and tangled and easy to get caught up in it but I'm learning to just walk out of this tangle. I've really had to focus on relaxing my body during exercise this past year - learning where I'm comfortable and where I'm not in relation to where and how I move around. Exercise definitely a savour. Firstly mountain biking then trials, but trials especially for helping me to become more comfortable doing things in front of people (although it's still there as an issue), and also running. I feel pride when running in the rain, past people sat in their cars queuing for a McDonalds at the drive thru!
Rich has massive respect for Ali
Great video Rich. Really interesting content and your interviewing style is excellent.
Much appreciated! Hope you’re well dude 😊
I have been into trials bikes from a really early age my parents talk about me spending hours in the garage taking them apart when i was 10 this hobby has stuck with me my entire life i have had a 20+ year career as a bike mechanic. And only now at 40 years old i have had to change this, i have tried all sorts of jobs and in the end currently settling on fixing trains. I am lucky that my cytech 3 is an nvq level 3 in mechanical engineering so its let me cross over to this line of work. I find trains very interesting, in such a short period of time its becoming very apparent that this is quickly becoming my special interest. I do still struggle with socialising and talking to people.
Wow, you saying "Don't breathe as much as you used to", referring to riding bikes less really hit home. I had to stop riding for some years due to injury and it really felt like a basic part of my existence, like breathing, was missing. Amazing job!! great interview
Glad you enjoyed it!
"Doing terrifying things on a bike is less scary than going and talking to a person" really hit the nail on the head.
I don't know why, but that really suits me.
To both Ali and Rich, thank you so very much for covering this topic. This was the single most moving and special "trials" video of my life.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I was diagnosed late,age about 45ish, so much of this interview made me smile as it reminded me of so much of my own life, asd with adhd and mild tourettes,
I also had the dx of bipolar a few years earlier,
Bikes have been my salvation in life,from xc,dh,rd and now trials added to the list,
Maybe thinking the way we do gives us the advantage when jumping bikes off walls and the like 🙂😁
Great interview by the way
Thank you creating this video Rich.
Thank you for sharing Ali, your childhood experience sounds so incredibly like my own...
I've never had myself checked out though...
One of my favorite trials rider, always waiting videos & thanks for this podcast
Honestly so grateful I came across this video. Big fan of you both and such a great video. I have ridden trials with you both in the past on a few occasions
Great to hear!
Great video, it’s nice to shed a ight on this topic. My 10-year-old daughter is on the spectrum and ever since her diagnosis. I’ve picked out little things that I do that make me think I could be as well. Interestingly enough I’m also an Aquarian, so maybe it’s something to do with that time of the year😂.
Interesting video and eye opening, kinda feel like I relate to alot of the points you guys make. Keep up the good work with your content 👍
Thanks! Will do!
Good luck finding a trials biker that isn’t ASD IMO…
Great insight gents, love what you do and do what you love 👍 🙏👊👊
P.S. the ‘disorder’ days are numbered…
🤙
Excellent.
I wish I had someone to talk to about my Asperger’s
Feel free to check out some of the links in the description 🙏