I had a Brits abroad feature in the Cycling weekly Magazine (April 21st edition)
A few questions about being abroad and what its like out there living and racing in Spain.
Big thanks to Pedal Potential my sponsor, helping fund the season this year and help me get to race in Spain. For sure without the help I wouldn't be out there, and that sort of help Is what makes athletes supported like me able to do what we do.
Bad news-
At the end of my last post I ended wanting to finally start my season again, after not an ideal start. Let's just say that didn't happen, again. The first race back in Cuellar, I came down hard on the final lap of the race, I was really lucky nothing was broken, some skin off and had a deep hole in my knee, I got scraped off the road,on a stretcher and into the ambulance. If you saw my bike, you'd think how I came off so lightly. I couldn't walk for a week or more, or bend the knee at all. I needed crutches and more help to walk and get around directly after the race but they just patched me up and let me go and went straight home, not ideal. I could hardly get into the apartment, let alone look after myself, so it was best to get home asap, where I could get checked up properly and recover quicker. My dad was a bit of a hero, he took the next flight over and took the next flight home with me the night after. The airline wouldn't give us a wheelchair (we even booked one.) so I hopped on a luggage trolley with one leg and got pushed through the airport, we got a few funny looks, it was quite a sight..
Anyway, I'm Ok now. It took longer that expected to get back on the bike, obviously when it happened, I thought I would be on my bike in a few days, being stubborn like most cyclists. But two weeks later mid-April I was slowly able to turn the pedals again, when I had the flexibility and movement back. After that I improved quicker and quicker, there comes a point where I turned a corner and I was free again, not a one legged man any more. Freedom.
So right now I'm back training normally again , slowly building the intensity again with my coach Tom from EPIC coaching. At the moment I think I'm sticking around here at home in Cornwall for a while now, to recover, train and get checked over properly. Because when I got checked over post crash back in the UK, there was an issue from the tests and my doctor was worried and told me not race until I get properly assessed and fixed. It may be some sort of metabolic issue of some sort and also something with the muscle damage from cycling its not good. Best to have it looked into..
It's nearly May and it doesn't feel like I've even started my 2016 season yet. But It is, what it is. Setbacks happen. What can you do.... On the bright side, I'm back riding, getting fitter again and I can have another go at starting my racing season soon, third time lucky eh.
Kris J.
