My brother Tim is a nutter...I think I have mentioned it once or twice before in my blog, but he really, really, is quite insane.
No- one normal would cycle from London, to Edinburgh, and then back to London would they? I mean, we have cars, and buses, and choo- choos.... And no- one, ( no-one with their full quota of grey matter) would do it non- stop in 108 hours.
Well, the nutter did.
For fun.
I know I did some 'challenging' activities - but I don't think I was quite as insane as Tim - and if you really want to read more of his mental state, log on to his blog at
challengemenace.blogspot and read the section entitled LEL Adventure.
Anyways, hearing about his exploits has prompted me to think a bit more about cycling...so much so that I had to go buy a bike.
I have always felt that cycling was cheating ( well, you're sat down) and being a runner, cyclists were just a pain with their dinging ( not a swear word!) bells!
But..I've had to move across to the dark side...
I'm still having physio and acupuncture for my foot - it's a year exactly today that I did the Dodentocht race (100km through the night in Belgium) when all my foot problems started) and, unfortunately, the physio has advised me not to run anymore.
The more I do, the more backwards the healing process goes. To start with my foot felt fine, and I was sooooo glad to be out again, but the ache in my foot is becoming more and more prolonged after each run, and it's time to hang up the running shoes....
The physio I see is fab - James at Newbury Community Hospital - he's free ( as in money) and has a great sense of humour which is perfect for my 8.30am Monday morning slots. I've also had a couple of sessions with Mandy Barter ( who isn't free!) who works at the Natural Health Clinic - she is more holistic, and not only do you get acupuncture but a leg massage and dietary input - I am now off caffeine and wheat ( what that has to do with my foot I have no idea - but she was soo nice!!) and I feel tons better!
Any how's, James has been trying to find me a new sport....
Swimming? Ugh - kid soup, and wet!
Aqua - been there, was shown up by competitive 80 year olds, also wet, plus warm spots -?wee
Rowing?=wet
Kayaking? As above - wet
Canoeing -ugh - there is too much of a water theme going on......
Golf? Hmmm ....tried this. Had 2 lessons, wasn't too bad - nice instructor, went out ONCE with Chris, FIRST hole, nearly pushed club up a certain orifice of his so thought it probably wasn't a sport I should pursue....
And then James suggested cycling......
And then Tim cycled LEL....
And then my cousin Ade said ' I know a geezer who can get you a good deal on a bike....'
And then I heard you burn TONS of calories whilst cycling and you HAVE to keep eating..
It would be absolutely insane not to eh?
The last post I published was back in February when I was bemoaning the fact that I was in a plaster cast on my foot for the foreseeable future!
Eight weeks stretched out in front of me, it was snowing, cold, I was in pain, and I was just plain miserable!
Well, some things have improved - the plaster has gone, the snow has melted, it's boiling hot today, and I'm never going to be completely pain free or happy but you can't have it all!!
The plaster cast did nothing! Absolutely zilch, nada, nowt! When I went back to have it removed my foot was still bruised, swollen and painful, and the subsequent MRI showed that nothing had changed from the previous August.......
The consultants answer was to leave it for another year, and by then it should be better, or to get a second opinion.....
Not being one to have much patience ( a year?!?! ) I had two second opinions - well, you have to make sure the second opinion is a good one - and they both came to the same conclusion within a matter of minutes....and, I'm now practically cured!
I apparently broke my foot, so much so that it clipped or trapped a nerve and caused neurogenic pain - and before you clever logs out there ask why it didn't show up on MRI??
There was a lot of bone which didn't show up as it was covered in fluid!
And the treatment? Acupuncture! Or pins and needles as I like to call it...
Being a nurse I see needles all day, every day - 'am I bothered?' - no - until they have to go into me....
Did I think acupuncture would work? No, not really, but I had tried EVERYTHING else and the pain was driving me insane.
I firstly went to see a private therapist, and was somewhat sceptical. She explained the science behind it, took my history, then showed me the needles - boy, are they BIG!! and then I went very dizzy and felt sick......
Anyways.....several treatments later, and the pain was under control, and then my GP discovered that their is a local physio who does orthopaedic acupuncture at the local hospital on the NHS - and to date I have tried two 6 mile runs and an 8 miler!
I've ached a little after, but it's my knees which have given me trouble not so much my foot, and strangely - I only needed to do those 3 runs to see if I still functioned!
I like going out for a walk with the dogs in the evenings, 2-3 miles seems enough, and I've joined a yoga class on a Monday - I just don't seem to have the 'urge' to go out and do an 85mile ultra marathon where I used to!
I'm still having acupuncture weekly, as I do still get niggly aches in my foot, and I guess part of me is wary of overdoing anything - and after ' enforced rest' from last August to June this year it's going to be hard changing my coffee stops ( but decaf now!!) for runs.
We'll see - the consultant might be right after all all - a year of rest - bah!!
Having a cast on your leg makes everything rather tedious.... I'm one of these people, where, if something needs doing, I get up and do it - job done - but now I have to 'think' about doing something, explore the logistics, and....well.... quite frankly... it's tedious!
It's been a lesson in patience (something I will readily admit that I haven't much of!), its also been an eye opener to my perception of disability.
Part of me thinks "thank goodness I've only got X amount of weeks left"....and then another part of me thinks would I be more accepting and patient if I knew this was permanent - makes you think......
I also thought I was a strong person and that this "minor set-back" would have been a bit of a breeze.... but boy I've found it hard...
Every now and then I could have done with someone taking my hand and saying hey girl, it'll be alright... Oh I know it's not life threatening or anything...but to me it's a big deal.
Nobody has it easy, everyone has some issue or another in their life, and you never know what another person is going through. You need to remember to pause a while before you start judging, criticising or mocking someone, as everyone is fighting their own unique battle...and this has been my battle!
I have people tell me this injury is 'self-inflicted'...or 'your own fault'.....and I'm constantly asked "are you going to stop running/jogging/walking?"
I do exercise because I LOVE it and because its my therapy - it's cheaper than a therapist and isn't illegal, immoral or fattening!
However much I love my job...it gets to me day after day after day of listening to people's problems, of counselling, of discussing bad news, poor prognosis, bereavement, abuse, domestic violence, loneliness....... running or walking is an escape from this - a chance to 'zone out' and 'run away' - a bit of 'me time'...
Running releases 'endorphins' - the bodies natural pain killers, the 'happy hormones' - I've not done anything since last August - and I'm almost on empty!!
So, my friends, whilst you may think that me prattling on about not being able to do anything is tedious, it's a big deal to me so there!
I have had a plaster cast on for 2 days and it is driving me nuts!!!
How anyone can balance on two wobbly sticks when their centre of gravity has been compromised is beyond me....mind you, balancing is beyond me with two flat feet most times!!
I have had another MRI scan.... and despite me doing everything I was told, this fluid that has been accumulating around the joints in my foot and getting into the 'soft tissue' has got no better - at all.
The consultant is unsure why, numerous blood tests haven't revealed anything, and I'm baffled... My trainers have cobwebs on them from lack of use... my gym membership has been cancelled.... the last time I ran a race was in August last year - just when my English Athletics number came through meaning I can carry on competing - typical!!
So..... I'm in plaster for 6-8 weeks restricting ANY load going through my foot to see if THAT works....
Fine for my foot, not for my mentality (or Chris' if you listen to him go on and on....!!)
I have HUGE admiration for people with limited mobility, as this requires a lot of patience, and I was right at the end of the queue when it was dished out!
Chris keeps telling me how well he did when he was in plaster - hmmmmm...the benefit of those rose tinted glasses... I just remember having to sell my car for an automatic so that he could get to work.. and me doing everything at home as normal anyway - doh!!
So... I've checked with DVLA and my insurers and I can use said automatic and will get back to work on Monday - at least if I can do paperwork I will be away from the persuasions of 'Jeremy Kyle' and the 'Loose Women'.. and won't be persuaded to buy a 'House under the Hammer'.......
And on the subject of no patience......
SNOW?? With crutches?? Argh !!!!
