In my last update, I somewhat optimistically mentioned that my bike training for King Alfred’s Way had been disaster-free. Well… it seems I spoke to soon.
Since then, I’ve had two loss-of-balance incidents, one of which ended with me in hospital having ten stitches to reattach my earlobe after it was completely torn. Not completely unexpected, but not exactly what I’d hoped for when I set out to train for this challenge! At the moment, I can’t get a helmet over the bulky dressing, so most of my riding has had to move indoors onto the turbo trainer. It’s not ideal, but I’m trying to make the most of what I can do while the stitches (hopefully) dissolve and do their thing. I’ve also been warned to expect permanent scarring.
On top of that, this past week has been a bit of a perfect storm — I’ve been dealing with all the usual challenges my brain throws at me, plus the added joy of side effects from antibiotics and a tetanus booster. Neither of which were on my training plan, and neither of which have helped my energy levels or general wellbeing!
But despite the setbacks, there’s been a surprising silver lining.
The time away from running — enforced by recovery and the shift to cycling — has actually helped me fall back in love with it. The recent spell of sunshine and dry trails definitely hasn’t hurt either! There’s something about getting back out on foot, with the sun on my face and a breeze on my skin, that reminds me why I love moving through the world under my own steam. Running has always been a part of how I manage my mental and physical health, and reconnecting with it feels like coming home.
Anyway, despite these disasters, on 19th July, I will be setting off to cycle King Alfred’s Way — 220 miles of mostly off-road terrain, spread over 4 challenging days. Now I know to many people, that might not seem like a big deal. But with my neurological deficits following brain surgery for an Acoustic Neuroma, it’s huge.
People often hear the word benign and assume it means not serious. But let me tell you — benign is not fine. Brain surgery is considered a success if most of the tumour is removed and the patient survives. That bar is low when it comes to quality of life. Like many others, I’ve been left with long-term challenges — balance issues, fatigue, hearing loss and other sensory problems — and I’ve had to figure out my own way to live with them. It’s hard.
This ride is about raising awareness, but also about raising funds.
Far too many people are discharged from treatment with no support or guidance on how to navigate their ‘new normal.’ Through The Beyond Recovery Project, we’re trying to change that — but we need your help.
If you can, please consider making a donation. Every single penny really does make a difference and helps us continue to support those left behind by the system.
You can make a donation here.
Thank you for following along and supporting me. It means more than you know.