SpoonBoy

Lets face it, being sick or injured really sucks! the sheer frustration of being completely unable to follow your passions or in some cases, just get off the couch can be horrible. But always one to take the good with the bad, you never know what opportunities can present themselves as a results of your own misfortune and the last week has definitely been one of such highs and lows.

After nearly two weeks on the couch, I was diagnosed with something that may or may not be, but is looking awfully like Menieres disease; a condition which affects the pressure of the fluid in your inner ear. The result? temporary hearing loss, balance loss and vertigo amongst other symptoms with the prospect of more permanent damage in the years to come. Appealing huh? thankfully episodes have so far been far and few between but still not overly pleasant and seem to be lasting longer when I do get them!

The real bummer about this latest occurance is it nearly cost me the opportunity to support Jason English in his attempt at winning his 2nd Australian solo 24hr Title. An event which in amongst some truly heroic efforts and incredible results admittedly left me a little teary! Truly an amazing experience which had I not torn my calf nearly 6 weeks ago, would not have had! (more on this later)

So there you go, the good with the bad! I just wish my physio had of left me in a state tonight where I could still actually walk!! with apparently a probable 4-5 weeks before I can get back into full training again I’m sure there will be one or two more sessions on the physio table where I’ll be clearing that dust from my eyes… ;)

Happy Trails!

Cheers
Craig

I woke this morning with a new vigour. I could walk! still slowly and down stairs is still an issue but much more walk like and less hobble like than ever before. In contrast to yesterday where I had to stop three times to get to the train station I’m totally stoked! Now is perhaps a danger time where I feel I can do something more than I actually can, and while I’ve not necessarily felt the need to take any pain killers, just from getting around my apartment I’m starting to think I should. So I’m clearly not ready to go dancing in the streets ;)

Today has been the first day of any real notable improvement with perhaps even a backward slide over the last week. Previously consigning myself to the concept of a full months recovery, the tunnel doesn’t seem so long now and I’m perhaps a little more upbeat about the whole situation. I’m sure there will be more setbacks to come though….

…well at least it’s looking like I can claim my leave back as “sick leave” from last week!!

Thanks to all for the comments of support and encouragement (and the odd snide remark ;) This is my first injury that’s meant I can’t actually get on a bike or do anything for a long time. Even when I hurt my back & neck 3 or 4 years ago, I was still pootling around centinal park a couple of weeks later. Hopefully I’ll be able to do likewise soon.

In the mean time, I’ve just about finished cutting up the video I had from BMC MTB for Joe. I need to nip out and get a dvd to burn it to so I can send it down but hopefully you should see some snippits soon. I’ll probably try and get a few interviews and stuff up on you tube. I have a few snippits of lummers, Jason E, Chops, Mark and a few other guys (including a nice arse shot of Craig P) so expect some SpoonTube action on youtube shortly ;)

Happy Trails!

Cheers
Craig

4 fecking weeks! for 4 weeks I will be spending zero time on a bicycle, nada, nothing, zip! I had may calf assessed today by the good guys at sydney sports medicine. It would seem I have grade 2+ tear of the left calf muscle. I don’t entire know how the grading scheme works but I’m guessing that’s not good. Either way I’ve been told to lay off for quite a while (4 more weeks) with a possible extra couple of weeks before I can be back swinging again.

So Easter is out, Dirt Works 100 is out, and well I’m guessing a bunch of fitness will be well… out leaving me to build up from scratch again but c’est la vie. In the mean time I guess I should lay off all this pasta (and beer?) lest my stomach starts to bulge err…. out. A hard task for someone who enjoys food as much as I do.

Happy Trails!

Cheers
Craig

I have a new found respect for race organisers and marshals. Spending the day camped at a spot, following tail end riders around and generally chasing around us mugs can make for a really long day! I know this since rather than spending last week Riding in the BMC Mountains to Beach stage race that my previous post might have alluded to, I hopped from hotel to hotel each day in a car.

Just call me Keanu I say! Huw had predicted there would be one; someone doing something silly on the very first stage there by ending their race. Well unfortunately, I was the one. with a slight misjudgment and one very split second, I had clipped the wheel of a slower rider in front and hit the deck. While I’d winded myself and had a few aches It wasn’t till the bottom, unable walk and barely able to ride that the full extent of what I’d done would emerge.

It now appears I have a slight tear to my left calf muscle which I’ve been told has a 4-6week recovery phase. So if I wasn’t fat and unfit now, I soon will be! Basically that’s putting me pretty much out for the 24 and very unlikely even the 6+6 at easter, which is partly fine as I’d already decided that was probably going to happen anyway. It possibly means I won’t be back in full training till mid to late April. C’est la vie! means I just have refocus for later in the year.

The week was fantastic though, riding around with either Fi or Huw, camera in hand; I’ll hopefully have some half decent footage to slap together later on. I still had a lot of fun but it was hardly a relaxing holiday, or anywhere near as fun as it should be and a level of frustrated grumpyness was setting in while I watched everyone have fun (or suffer) while I sat around all day.

At any rate, after aggrivating it again while I lugged my luggage back up the stairs last night I’m back on the couch more or less watching dvd’s and chewing nurofen!

…uggh.

Happy Trails

Cheers
Craig

Despite the bleak forcast from but one week ago, blue skys, sun and mid 20 temperatures have greeted us in Thredbo. Ordinarily I’d be outside, riding some of the many trails that litter the hillsides here, but having already been for a spin, registered and with 400km’s of riding to come, it’s time for snooze. It’s been a long week both socially and with work and while next week is not likely to be a walk in the park either, I’m really looking forward to it.

We’re in Thredbo for the start of the BMC Mountains to Beach; a 400km stage race starting from the very top of the NSW Snowy Mountains and winding all the way to Narooma on the NSW Coast. Even if my fitness wasn’t somewhat lacking, 400km’s of mountain biking in a week would still be a little daunting and despite the apparant downward trend, there is still plenty hills along the way, some of the worst on day 4’s 120km’s of stages! But first, We would have to survive stage 1…

Day 1 starts tomorrow morning with a trip in the Chairlift up the hill. There we start the race with an individual time trial back down the hill. with over 600m’s of vertical to drop and plenty of fast and loose fire trail to be had, keeping the testosterone in check could be the difference between making it to the bottom and going home in an ambulance! The rest of the day is likely to be less hectic but remembering we still have over 390km’s to go will be important. The challenge may be just to keep your head in check and make it to the end of the day in one piece :)

Untill then, it’s time to eat more food than you could possibly imagine, put my feet up and enjoy this rare moment to relax!

Happy Trails

Cheers
Craig