Wednesday 23 November 2011

More of a binner than a pinner . . . .

I've just sat down and read the blog I wrote back in May when the injury first happened . . . it pulled on a few more heart strings than I ever imagined it would. I still can't really see my knee in those photos, sitting looking at my knee now I see the scar and feel this disappointment, but its short lived because I'm excited - the butterflies and drive have returned and after way too many months I'm back on my bike (you have no idea how amazing it feels sitting here now writing that).


The past 6 months have been nothing short of testing . . . . but as I sit back and look over that time, think where I was and where I now am I can see the light (the tunnel was just a bit longer than I expected). Its weird how you never really realise how much you miss something until someone/thing swipes it out of your arms - I've missed my bike, I've missed the trails and I've missed having great craic with my mates out there (although they all assure me that the biking has been utterly pitiful over the past 6 months and I truly believe them - ha ha!).


So the journey has been a different one - in the first few months I could do very little with my leg so I took sometime to chill out, catch up with friends and and try and train my puppy (yip that's still trying to happen!!). After that I started intensive physio and things seemed to be going well so I returned to the bike . . . . however the extensive bone bruising I had sustained then started to play up and it wasn't long before I was back off the bike. And the story has really followed that pattern for the last few months. My knee is getting there - it feels so much stronger and things that were troubling me are gradually starting to disappear. Racing aside it just feels so amazing to be back on the bike.


Riding has been great and I've tried out a few new things like BMX'in . . that was fun!


But racing is always there . . . and when your competitive its hard to switch that tap off. Sure I've been through the motions - is this still what I want to do, will me knee survive . . . . . .I can answer the first question with certainty - yes . . . .the second I hope so . . . . .I just need to get fit now!


And whats the best way to do that?? Race Right??


So the weekend just passed I entered the Innerleithen Night/Day Enduro - 2 runs in the day, 2 runs in the night - radical! It was soo hard - I think I went from being on the bike for about an hour and a half to 3 hours for the race . . . so by the time I got half way down the 3rd run I was about crying, the 4th well that was just a hold on and hope. I'm guessing things weren't made any easier by the massive stack I had in run 2 where I attempted to use my chin as a brake (that doesn't work out so well!), but it is pretty scary being chased down by Emma Guy - especially when shes shouting I'm coming to get you ha ha! All in all it was a cracker of an event, super tough and I was happy to take 3rd after being schooled by Emma Guy with Katy Winton being impressive in 2nd!


Big shout out to Gary Forrest who won the event - pinned boy pinned!


4 days on and I still feel like someone ran me over in a dumper truck and then reversed back over me - doh!


2 weeks til the Glentress duathlon - anyone got a spare lung!


Hope to see you out on the hills


Les.


P.s Last weekend of The Hub Cafe this weekend - get your little behinds down there #thereisnosuchthingastoomuchcake!!

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