After just over 2 absolutely amazing months on the new DH bike, I was feeling really confident. However the week after Easter was a stressful one at work and come the weekend I really wasn't feeling like riding my bike. But I'd made the commitment to race the Taff Buggy Series and that was what I was going to do but my heart wasn't in it. I should have followed my gut feeling.
Saturday morning came and I really didn't feel right, none of the pre-race excitement was there, we took a leisurely drive to Taff Buggy and met with Emma, who also lacked the normal enthusiasm. So after a track walk we signed on and got on the bikes. I simply couldn't ride, I was tense, stiff and was totally lacking the mojo to push myself. My first run down saw me going round most of the Obstacles and not warming up or settling. My 2nd was mildly better but still a long way off being able to race.
So after a bite to eat I decided to put my body armour on in the hope that it would boost my confidence and put me in a 'this is serious' frame of mind. It helped, I was clearing all the sections in some form or other, I just had the rock garden to ride.
Last year this man-made rock garden took me all day to clear but I'd managed it and raced it. So after walking through it a couple of times to know where to put my wheels I got on Jed. I rode confidently onto the rocks, hitting my first and second markers perfectly to give me a clear run through, then it all went a bit odd, I realised early that I was too far forward and pushed off the bars to get my weight back but it was too late I was passed the point of no return and I think in trying to push my weight back I'd also pushed the bike into a worse place and stalled it. I was going down, I spied an area of ground without rocks to land and with all my strength directed my body there. Then all I remember was a cracking noise and feeling ground impact with my face, then Jed landing on my back, bouncing off my body and landing somewhere in front of me. I expected to pass out, I waited for the blackness to drift over me but it didn't happen and somehow I was sitting up with Darrel running over to me, in my daze I stood up and stumbled off the track sitting down the other side of the tape pulling my broken lid off my head as it felt incredibly tight, like it was pushing my head in. My nose hurt and I was waiting for it to start bleeding. Darrel was fetching my bike and my first concern was that Jed was OK, I tried to stand up to see for myself and as I instinctively went to push off my hands, I realised I couldn't feel 2 fingers on my left and a stab of pain shot up my arm. I remover my glove to see 2 really nasty looking purple marks and not much in the way of knuckle, it didn't hurt it was totally numb. I didn't want to hang round to long, I knew before long stuff would start to hurt and I wanted to ride my bike down to get the lift up. People stopped to ask if I was OK, I just wanted to get down before my body realised what I'd done to it. Emma came along to see how I was getting on and as she came over realised something was wrong, looking at my hand she gave the excellent advise of removing my wedding ring off my now looking more sore fingers. I limped down, on the last mildly technical bit I had to push as the vibrations through the bars were getting more uncomfortable by the minute.
Getting back up to the top, I met the guys from MIJ and the paramedics, who suggested visiting A&E. I handed back my number and after a quick loading of bikes said fairwell to Taff Buggy and headed to Prince Charles Hospital. I have got to say everyone there was lovely, the nurses looked at my hand and sucked in breath especially as I said I'm sure it's not broken. My gut feeling was it wasn't, I've broken bones and I know there is generally a specific pain when that happens. After a short wait the X-rays were back and Gayles Gut 1 - Nurses 0.
YIPEEEEEE No broken bones, just a very bruised and sore Me! After some pain meds, and a quick chat to the nurses I was on my way home. However I knew in my heart that racing was a no go. Sunday morning had me wide awake at 6am, my mind had at last turned on to race mode, but I was in no state to race, I knew it was the right decision but I wasn't happy about it.
Sunday morning was horrible, I was feeling bruised, could tell I had slight concussion, had a headache and I was down. I got up and pottered around the flat, retrieved my lid from the Van to assess the damage and apologised to Jed for letting him down. I felt that my whole racing plan for 2014 was up in the air, I'd really set my heart on the Taff Buggy series and now I didn't know if I'd ever have the courage to race there, all because of one 5 meter section of rock garden. After a while I gave up and crawled back into bed for a cuddle with Darrel and some much needed recovery sleep.
Late morning I awoke, still feeling like crap, but knowing I'd made the right choice not to race. Friends messaged me and texted me which really cheered me up. It was decided that my lid would need to be replaced so I can now justify buying a new one to match Jed (Black and Red) and with all the lovely kind words I was feeling more positive.
The problem is, since I've had Jed I've had the most amazing time, I'm so much more confident and I love riding the bike. Last weekends uplift saw me happily chasing down after my friends at FOD, and I really felt like I belonged. I was on top of the world and felt I could ride anything, but when your on the top the only way is down and that's what happened! I've had 2 months of bliss, me and Jed were bound to have a disagreement at some point, and now we have the fun of making up. I'm hoping to get to Bike Park Wales as they have several rock gardens to practice on, and I'm already looking forward. Next weekend will see me strapped up and trying 4x for the first ever time, Thursday I've got another hour of hell in the form of a time trial.
Another odd off shoot from all this this is the bruises forming all over my body, the colours are amazing, angry deep blues, sore looking pinks and reds, the odd greenie hues and then my favorite, the purple that seem to suggest that the bruise goes deep into my flesh. My knuckle is swollen, with a pale green/purple hint and 2 red marks that give a menacing hint of something painful lurks beneath. Through out Sunday they appeared rising like some bizarre deep sea creatures floating to the surface. There will be no bikini or short skirt wearing from me for the next few weeks until they disappear. But with each new bruise Darrel is being sweet and loving, so I'm lapping up the affection. OK I failed, but I failed trying and I did give it a good go.
So it's Monday PM and I'm miles happier. I was due a bad day and although yesterday felt like a black hole is really wasn't all that bad, just felt it at the time. DH is a risk sport, injuries are part and parcel.
Oh, and hi to the guy on the Kona I met on saturday who reads my blog, it was lovely meeting you :)
Saturday morning came and I really didn't feel right, none of the pre-race excitement was there, we took a leisurely drive to Taff Buggy and met with Emma, who also lacked the normal enthusiasm. So after a track walk we signed on and got on the bikes. I simply couldn't ride, I was tense, stiff and was totally lacking the mojo to push myself. My first run down saw me going round most of the Obstacles and not warming up or settling. My 2nd was mildly better but still a long way off being able to race.
So after a bite to eat I decided to put my body armour on in the hope that it would boost my confidence and put me in a 'this is serious' frame of mind. It helped, I was clearing all the sections in some form or other, I just had the rock garden to ride.
Last year this man-made rock garden took me all day to clear but I'd managed it and raced it. So after walking through it a couple of times to know where to put my wheels I got on Jed. I rode confidently onto the rocks, hitting my first and second markers perfectly to give me a clear run through, then it all went a bit odd, I realised early that I was too far forward and pushed off the bars to get my weight back but it was too late I was passed the point of no return and I think in trying to push my weight back I'd also pushed the bike into a worse place and stalled it. I was going down, I spied an area of ground without rocks to land and with all my strength directed my body there. Then all I remember was a cracking noise and feeling ground impact with my face, then Jed landing on my back, bouncing off my body and landing somewhere in front of me. I expected to pass out, I waited for the blackness to drift over me but it didn't happen and somehow I was sitting up with Darrel running over to me, in my daze I stood up and stumbled off the track sitting down the other side of the tape pulling my broken lid off my head as it felt incredibly tight, like it was pushing my head in. My nose hurt and I was waiting for it to start bleeding. Darrel was fetching my bike and my first concern was that Jed was OK, I tried to stand up to see for myself and as I instinctively went to push off my hands, I realised I couldn't feel 2 fingers on my left and a stab of pain shot up my arm. I remover my glove to see 2 really nasty looking purple marks and not much in the way of knuckle, it didn't hurt it was totally numb. I didn't want to hang round to long, I knew before long stuff would start to hurt and I wanted to ride my bike down to get the lift up. People stopped to ask if I was OK, I just wanted to get down before my body realised what I'd done to it. Emma came along to see how I was getting on and as she came over realised something was wrong, looking at my hand she gave the excellent advise of removing my wedding ring off my now looking more sore fingers. I limped down, on the last mildly technical bit I had to push as the vibrations through the bars were getting more uncomfortable by the minute.
Getting back up to the top, I met the guys from MIJ and the paramedics, who suggested visiting A&E. I handed back my number and after a quick loading of bikes said fairwell to Taff Buggy and headed to Prince Charles Hospital. I have got to say everyone there was lovely, the nurses looked at my hand and sucked in breath especially as I said I'm sure it's not broken. My gut feeling was it wasn't, I've broken bones and I know there is generally a specific pain when that happens. After a short wait the X-rays were back and Gayles Gut 1 - Nurses 0.
YIPEEEEEE No broken bones, just a very bruised and sore Me! After some pain meds, and a quick chat to the nurses I was on my way home. However I knew in my heart that racing was a no go. Sunday morning had me wide awake at 6am, my mind had at last turned on to race mode, but I was in no state to race, I knew it was the right decision but I wasn't happy about it.
Sunday morning was horrible, I was feeling bruised, could tell I had slight concussion, had a headache and I was down. I got up and pottered around the flat, retrieved my lid from the Van to assess the damage and apologised to Jed for letting him down. I felt that my whole racing plan for 2014 was up in the air, I'd really set my heart on the Taff Buggy series and now I didn't know if I'd ever have the courage to race there, all because of one 5 meter section of rock garden. After a while I gave up and crawled back into bed for a cuddle with Darrel and some much needed recovery sleep.
Late morning I awoke, still feeling like crap, but knowing I'd made the right choice not to race. Friends messaged me and texted me which really cheered me up. It was decided that my lid would need to be replaced so I can now justify buying a new one to match Jed (Black and Red) and with all the lovely kind words I was feeling more positive.
The problem is, since I've had Jed I've had the most amazing time, I'm so much more confident and I love riding the bike. Last weekends uplift saw me happily chasing down after my friends at FOD, and I really felt like I belonged. I was on top of the world and felt I could ride anything, but when your on the top the only way is down and that's what happened! I've had 2 months of bliss, me and Jed were bound to have a disagreement at some point, and now we have the fun of making up. I'm hoping to get to Bike Park Wales as they have several rock gardens to practice on, and I'm already looking forward. Next weekend will see me strapped up and trying 4x for the first ever time, Thursday I've got another hour of hell in the form of a time trial.
Another odd off shoot from all this this is the bruises forming all over my body, the colours are amazing, angry deep blues, sore looking pinks and reds, the odd greenie hues and then my favorite, the purple that seem to suggest that the bruise goes deep into my flesh. My knuckle is swollen, with a pale green/purple hint and 2 red marks that give a menacing hint of something painful lurks beneath. Through out Sunday they appeared rising like some bizarre deep sea creatures floating to the surface. There will be no bikini or short skirt wearing from me for the next few weeks until they disappear. But with each new bruise Darrel is being sweet and loving, so I'm lapping up the affection. OK I failed, but I failed trying and I did give it a good go.
So it's Monday PM and I'm miles happier. I was due a bad day and although yesterday felt like a black hole is really wasn't all that bad, just felt it at the time. DH is a risk sport, injuries are part and parcel.
Oh, and hi to the guy on the Kona I met on saturday who reads my blog, it was lovely meeting you :)
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