Road To Recovery (Part 4)
"Well, the season has now come to an end. Christmas has come and gone and the new year is upon us. If I'm honest, its been one of the toughest seasons I've had to date. Most people on the sidelines, or those people elbows up next to me on the start line may not see that, but from a racing point of view and personally its been far from simple. As Rocky famously said "It ain't about how hard you hit; It's about hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. Its' how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done". Words to me that sum my season up perfectly; I got hit and suffered a lot, but no matter what I kept on going, it takes a lot of love for the sport to carry on. I'm only young and no matter what cycling is my life, quitting now would be a waste of my life to date. Not seeing what I could be and going to some desk job I don't love just isn't going to cut it.
The recovery of my shoulder is definitely going in the right direction. 95% of normal movement is back and only a small amount of movement, that's renowned for shoulder injuries, is keeping from taking that 100% step. The turbo training is going well, adding more time, and a variety of efforts is keeping fitness in check, it's not specific road and mtb conditioning but its a start. I even managed a cheeky 30 minute spin on the road just before Christmas, I guess you could say I got my Christmas wish early. Never has a ride on a bike felt so good, even is was only 30 minutes, I still felt like a kid in a sweet shop even after all these years or riding, smile from ear to ear.
So when will I be getting on the bike for good you ask... Well, just 7 more days! That is, providing the snow goes and the ice clears up. It will only be a light start, but I'll add time gradually just so I don't rush back into it too quickly. 2 steps forward 1 step back is something I want to prevent. Mainly because I'm bursting at the seams to get back on my bike! My new coach, Oli Beckingsale, knows my drive and doesn't want me to suffer for it, he's got a good plan for my recovery and its something I trust to get me back riding properly. The mountain bike is going to be on the wall in my garage for a little while longer but the road bike will be able to get dirty again at least.
The future is looking brighter too. Kit is being designed and should be here soon, but that's under wraps till the team launch. Bikes are being finished up and detailed with some custom touches to stand out from the rest and the race logistics are being planned and booked. With a little luck I think 2015 might just be one of my most successful seasons. A fresh start and a fresh team might be the step I need to progress and begin the tricky slope back up to the front of the grid, setting my sights on the top steps of that 3 tiered podium in Rio! It's not going to be easy, but its something I'm willing to do to make the dreams I've always had come true.
I'd like to say a huge thank you too all that have helped me this year. Orange Monkey pro team riders and staff, all the sponsors who have provided equipment and paid for me to get to some amazing places all over the world. As always your support is greatly appreciated and can't thank each person enough. I'd also like to thank the main people in my life. Natalie my fiancé, my mum and dad, Chris and Pam and the rest of my family and friends for the continued support. Without these people the season would have never been possible. Hopefully one day I can repay the help with a striped white jersey or a gold medal atop an Olympic podium. Lastly I'd like to thank Sherwood pines cycles and Saddleback for the support for the 2015 season, providing me with excellent equipment and support to hopefully take me to the next step in my career.
So keep an eye on UKXCNews.com for my updates. Maybe a peek at my kit for the 2015 season on the next update might interest your taste buds?!? There is a lot to come for 2015 and hope you stay tuned.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all... may it be successful!"