Friday 29 July 2016

a quick story... of ME



The popularity on Surbiton pages of Facebook, of this blog, is a complete surprise to me! A very welcome surprise, thank you!
Over 800 page views in two days. Whilst I realise that this does not mean '800 different viewers', it does signify to myself that this is an extensive archive of many of my mental patterns since 2010. I have accurately recorded 'highs' and 'lows', with fluctuations in between, of this new life. A new life, that i had forever feared as a keen cyclist, but have been forced to accept, and will forever need to learn to live in.

A quick story of 'me and the bike’…

A late learner, but more than made up for the few years behind...
I cannot remember exactly which year, but I do remember that I was a late-learner(maybe 9 or 10 years old), learning to ride a bike as a child. I do have a memory of impersonating Chris Boardman(minus 'superman' aero position obviously), recognising his success in his first Tour de France prologue (1994). 

'Cycling' was me.
I rapidly realised that this was 'my sport'. I enjoyed football, but could tell that my lightweight, slim physique meant I could not compete confidently with the rest of the school football team. Long legs allowed me to run fast, but I realised that I was more suited to cycling.

Everything.
Cycling is a very lonesome sport. However, I enjoyed mountain biking with friends. We went to the French Alps, and I fell in love with it. Cycling was meant for me. I crashed a few times, when descending on technical descents, but I didn't care because I knew how strong I was going uphill! Road cycling was calling me.

After college, I switched to the road (which suited me a lot more).
Mountain bikes were good, but  not perfect. In late 2002 I bought my Bianchi road bike (a '2003 SL3'). Proper cycling now! I had watched 'The Tour of Britain' pass through my University town of Loughborough, with my girlfriend in Birmingham, but it wasn't until the final stage in London did I get my replica jersey to be signed by my great hero, Michele Bartoli!



No more crashes.
I graduated in 2005. Road cycling was so much easier. I had no fear of crashing. I had finished the cycling club at university, and was now 100% focussed on road-cycling, a member of London Dynamos.

2006.
The biggest year of my life. I was employed by 'The Sustainable Design Research Team' of Kingston University/Westfocus. I studied my 'Graduate Degree for Design in Visual Communications', part-time at The London College of Communication. I was still very close to my good girlfriend who was studying in Birmingham. My sporting passion was peaking. I raced in early spring, but then switched my focus to the Alps! For many years I had dreamt of watching the Tour de France, in the mountains. I booked my trip, in early spring.

TdF
July arrived. Shocked and surprised, but not really. There was an endless list of drugs problems in my sport. I was fully aware and had done plenty of reading to form my own valid opinions! Alpe D'Huez. Probably the most legendary, iconic climb of all. 13km at an average of 8.1%. 21 Hairpins. I was sooooooo happy. It was hard cycling, but I enjoyed the climbing and the experience powered me along, there was no way I wanted to stop/slow down. Once climbed, hours were spent waiting and watching the Tour de France arrive which was mirrored the following day up at La Toussuire. Less of a climb but still an Alpine brute of a stage finish!
I was in peak form as a cyclist, I knew it, and I loved it!

August 11th, I turned 22.

October 2006
Stephen Roche (Sun Oct 1st)
I journeyed to Paris with my London Dynamo friends (Christian and James Kinmont, John Witts, and Dr John Orwin), on Saturday. Sunday, we rode the Stephen Roche cyclosportif. I was anxious about it's length. At around 160km (100miles), I had never cycled so far. Up mountains, yes, but this distance? No. It went well and left me feeling confident that this distance was no issue.

Birmingham (Oct 7/8)
The following weekend, I was in Birmingham to visit my girlfriend. A good weekend. We were both happy. I was close to finishing my course (had successfully done all work). I told my girlfriend that I was feeling a bit lost, having finished my course, ended my cycling season, what shall we do next?

Third weekend - Saturday (Oct 14)
Hmmm. As usual on a Saturday morning, I was cycling around Richmond Park in an anti-clockwise direction, with my club 'London Dynamos'. I was in a group of 12, cycling two-abreast, relaying the pace-setting, in a 'through-and-off' way. Near Roehampton Gate, we approached the rear of a group of rollerbladers. I had to swerve and fell off. The first time ever, I had an accident on my road bike! I had fallen off! Immediately, aware of the danger, I scrambled to kick my bike out of the way. The car hit me. I was out. I owe my life to friends Christian Kinmont and John Orwin who were close cycling friends, doctors/surgeons, and cared for me immediately. I am told that John Orwin actually managed to apply a shunt into my head to relieve pressure from my swelling brain*. I remained in a medically induced coma, and a 'minimally conscious state' until the spring of 2007. I had been admitted to Charing Cross hospital, at first, then moving to Adam Brookes **(Cambridge), and then the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability in Putney. My rehabilitation was about to begin. 
2007 in hospital (until October 8th 2007)
2008 to 2010 in Rehabilitation Home (until October 2010)

I've only just realised…
my accident was the day after Friday 13th!
I used to be superstitious, but now...?

I have provided the following links to posts of this blog. Most are selected by myself as 'key highlights'. Others are selected to provide a broad chronological base. The penultimate address given, is a post of my letter to my Tory MP, unsurprisingly, no response. Jobs lost (IDS), but no response!
Posts:


I have deleted notes that I just made, Tuesday morning. I was feeling down. 
CaffeAmici macchiato 
I hate myself being in a bad mood. I realise this, and force myself to smile, lifting myself out of it. I leave the cafe smiling!
EEEK... Mood swing!! Positive ;) 
I am above feelings of despair. The topic of 'girls' is depressing. So, best to just forget, ignore, continue to live life.  

live to
EXPERIENCE
not to 
EXPECT



Don't waste time, living for the future. The future only ever exists as a concept. In reality, tomorrow never exists now.
EXPERIENCE THE NOW

Our existence is too special to waste time expecting or predicting the future. We must live for now, experiencing as much as we can, to the fullest we can. No one can accurately predict the future.

I feel love for Surbiton! 

(Screenshot from 'intro' to Stella Street)

So does Mick, Keef, Jack, Joe, Michael, and the rest! 
;)
Stella Street
My school friends will know how much I loved this series on TV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIot-vgqJBA&list=PLD91664253AE5D948

*. Corrections notified in following post (above).
**. " 

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