Best laid plans, eh?
This summer was going to mark my triumphant return. I had lost over 30lbs, learned to swim, had taken mountain bike lessons and I even managed to put on a wetsuit single-handedly.
In my current state, I can’t put a t-shirt on
While I will never ever be the most prolific or celebrated of bloggers, I was enjoying both blogging and ambassadorial roles with Simply Swim, Pedal for Scotland, Triathlon Scotland and Decathlon.
Events were entered; bikes and wetsuits were acquired (thank you Decathlon and Simply Swim) holidays were booked and my confidence was increasing daily.
Life was good and it felt wonderful to be back.
And then bam!!
The wheels came off my plans or rather, I came off my wheels. The Wee Beastie (I was not timorous) Triathlon ended up being my only event of the summer and I did not even get to finish it.
All the gear……as usual
Having enjoyed/survived my first open water swim, in Loch Lomond, I made the transition to the mountain bike with confidence
Too much confidence
For in the 2nd lap, I ended up with a panic in my breastie and in a ditch and subsequently I ended up in a hospital and then in a sling with a broken collarbone.
Time for a Break?
My summer of sport had ended
With my excitement and expectations building all spring and summer, there was a danger that this break would see me fall deeply back into a depth of depression.
But instead, I did the only thing I could.
Smile and the World Smiles With You
I smiled
Smiling will not necessarily speed up my recovery and it will not get me back in the water or on a bike any sooner, but it is helping me to stay positive (there’s even some science that supports this). It is reminding me how much I love my life and the people in it.
I have much to be thankful for (only a collarbone break, for a start) and there will be other events. My blogging partners are understanding and my work have been supportive while my step-sons have accepted, without too much grumbling (the bribing of football kit might have helped), their roles as my carers, although I might have tested my gf’s patience with my pathetic man routine.
This blog is a test of sorts. To see how much I can comfortably write (I have been writing this blog in parts) and for me to commit to what lies ahead.
My priority is my recovery. I am undertaking physio and with the sling off, I am regaining some mobility and strength in my arm. Not enough to be doing any heavy weights or any weights, but enough to make me believe that my “complicated” break will not require surgery.
Today, I write a blog; tomorrow I return to work and over the next few months, I will continue to walk, start to run and eventually get back in the saddle and in the pool.
My weight has not suffered as remaining positive has helped to curb my desires to medicate with junk. In fact, over the last 7 weeks, I have lost 4lbs. Nothing to write home about but worth noting in this blog
Fat loss is not dependant on being excessively active. I have upped my walking and kept an eye on my food consumption. Yes, there have been moments when I have succumbed to the tantalising taste of brownies and other delights, but I have done so in moderation and with an acknowledgement that I might need to eat less or walk further later on.
These Bad Brownies were sooooo good
And then, we have my longer term goals.
I will not make the mistake again (it was a “foolish notion”) of declaring that I will be an Ironman (although I still harbour that dream) but I am ambitious and I have been working on some other projects.
One of those is my new role of resident writer (here is my first article) for TravelBlock, the online cryptocurrency travel booking platform that delivers savings of up to 60% (sometimes higher) on hotels and resorts advertised on Expedia and Booking.com
Not me pictured
At the moment they are offering an incredible deal for new members, but I am hoping that over the next few years, I can help others and myself travel further for less
I also want to continue to help inspire others to move more, so I will be charting my rehabilitation and my progress and I hope to soon bring some exciting news.
In the meantime, I will be going back to basics. Couch to 5K and parkrun, yoga and kettlebells, simply because this what I enjoy. Of course, as a try athlete, I will be happy to continue sampling, reviewing and sucking at any and every sport that comes my way, but for now, I have to focus on getting my health and my fitness back.
Success is not linear and although my heart is sore (I should be heading triumphantly back from Pedal for Scotland) I accept that we will have bumps in the road (also a large bony bump forming on my shoulder) and that our paths will take detours. How Many Miles was never about how far I could run, cycle or swim but instead about how far this journey will take me.
