Manky Shoulder Diary Part 1

The year got off to a somewhat tropical start, flying to Majorca with Ciclosol.com for 2 weeks of training in Majorca to get 2015 into full swing. Some of the hardest riding and longest miles I've ever done in my life; my first 100 mile ride EVER in fact. I know, I know, my first 100 at 18 years old isn't that spectacular but I'd liken the experience to that of a fish trying to climb a tree, so I like to think it was a big deal. 

After two weeks it was back to reality with some illness and training at home. I took on Ixworth crits where I won last year, and got one heck of a beating. Not having any race fitness and having been doing 100km+ rides for two weeks prior left me on bit of a back foot but the week after at the Andrews Trophy RR in my home county of Essex I feel I made up for it. The 128km race suited me well, it was relatively flat, and I was racing with E/1/2/3 riders so there was a real quality field out. I stuck in the Peloton and attacked with 2 laps of the 10km circuit to go. I got reeled in with one to go, but all in all the day was a success- it made me stronger. 

So another couple of weeks of training later brings us to Wednesday the 20th of May. What a day. I rode from home in Essex, into London, completely unscathed and not hit by any cars. I was there to race the Beastway MTB race, a staple part of Londons MTB history and this time being promoted by my mate Mark Harris' guys; Epping Forest MTB.

Somehow, on a reckie lap of the course, I crashed and knocked myself unconscious. An unknown amount of time later, I took myself back up to the venue HQ where I was complaining of feeling sick and having upper body and hand pain- no prizes for whoever guesses why...

A hurried trip of various levels of consciousness to Broomfield Hospital later, and I was under the big X-Ray machine and being watched with the eagle eye of nurses and doctors to make sure I wasn't going to be sick on their freshly sanitised floor and gurneys. The initial scare was a Fractured Skull, Fractures around the Shoulder, and Brain Trauma. Luckily (kind of...), I escaped with just a fractured Humeral head and Clavicle. I say luckily because I'd have chosen my actual fate over a broken skull and brain injury ANY day/place/time. 

As I write this, I've been confined to the relative safety of my house for 2.5 weeks. I've not ridden by bike on the road since the accident and as sods law would have it, those 2.5 weeks have had some truly bliss weather. I've been getting some good turbo trainer work in with my Coach Mark Walker. As soon as the crash happened Marks eyes were set firmly on recovery and not losing out with the injury. I'm lucky to have a coach who doesn't take the "brush it off its only a fracture" approach like some. Likewise, my sponsors have been excellent about it. I've still got the same fantastic support from the guys at Quest Sportswear Cycling Team.

So what now? Well, I don't really know. I hope to be back riding on the road next week, and rehab showing some decent improvements, but it is what it is- I can't rush it. Before the Cyclocross season starts I hope to get a few more Road and MTB races in the aid training and add some excitement to my programme. An on a final note, take a look at my beautiful ride for the 2015 Road season. Thank you Colnago/Windwave...

Thank you to the amazing guys at QSW Sports, BBB, Colnago, Windwave, Nuun, Ventoux, Ciclos Uno and Sportsbalm.

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A bien tot!