Black Thunder

It is a week today that I had the misfortune of dropping my pride and joy, my Yamaha FJR 1300. It is an awesome piece of machinery and....... bloody heavy. I was parking at my parents house, the same place I park it every time I visit, but.... for some unknown reason, I put the side stand down, it stayed down , but the bike started to slide inward toward me.......
and when that happens, it becomes the point of no return. Down she went, as if in slow motion, but I couldn't stop her! My leg got stuck under her as she hit the pavement. I tried to pick her up but you're looking at a quarter of a tonne of motorbike. I managed to get out from underneath her, scramble to my feet.I was horrified when it happened. My lovely bike, scratched!! My pride "Dented!!"
I did eventually get the bike back up with some help from passers by. I thanked them. I just stood there in shock... I was physically shaking.. I felt sick. My left leg throbbing. BUT... and there's always a but.. at closer examination, I hadn't actually done too much damage, some scratches, but I didn't break anything on the bike, which I'm very happy about. Mirrors, indicators, foot pedals; the little things don't come cheap. As to my left leg, my knee ached some what, but my bones were still in one piece..."phew." The ride home was a nervous one, only three miles to go but I went steadily... my nerves slightly shaken. I have to be thankful that it wasn't a high speed smash, that I wasn't being scraped up off the road, taken to the morgue. I was merely standing still, at the side of 'Black Thunder' when she decided to have a proper rest and lie down!! I look back now, a week later, hopefully wiser, but these things happen, no-ones perfect. My knee is bruised and battered but I'll survive, I have it bandaged up and have had for the past few days. As the week's gone by, the pain has grown. I suppose the muscles that I have hurt are mending, and what with the miles that I cover at my job,the exercise will help heal it.
I told a couple of guys at work what I'd done and they just laughed at me. I can look back now and laugh too. Apparently I've now become a proper biker, I've officially "christened" my bike!
I can think of easier less painful ways of christening Black Thunder. But as I said I'm OK, that's all that counts... we can mend bikes, replace them if necessary. However people aren't always so lucky!!

It's only just begun..

In 1996 I ran my first London Marathon. Some thing I'd always wanted to achieve. I trained for six months, went through numerous packets of plasters, new running shoes, injury after injury. At this moment in time I'm watching the 28th London Marathon, I'm with them in spirit every step of the way. I know what it's like to stand on the starting line, the taste of your breakfast still fresh in the pit of your stomach, heart burn, nerves and excitement attacking you from every angle. The year I ran it was the hottest on record; running out of bottled water at just seven miles. I lost several toe nails with the constant pounding of my feet hitting the road, rubbing against the inside of my Nike trainers. If you think you've ever suffered cramp then you've never run 26 miles 385 yards before, that's real cramp for you.But the race itself is a test of endurance, emotional, trauma. The hard work doesn't start just there, the real hard work starts with the sponsoring, then the collecting of the funds. Each person doing their best to raise much needed cash for well worth charities. My total amount was around £1,200 for Asthma research. So I've been there done that they even gave me a T-shirt for it; but it's the pride of taking part. I won't be doing it again, but you never know what's around the corner?
My toe nail has survived, slightly tender but with out infection.. nothing to compare with really, nothing like what the 28,000 competitors will be suffering after their courageous efforts today and the pride of holding close their 'medals' that they will receive later in the day. I wore my medal for a whole month I was so proud of my commitment and courage for my run. But it doesn't stop me getting emotional every year when I sit in front of the television to witness yet another Flora London Marathon, been ther done that!