The Pits

BY: Melanie Alexander

Published: 13th April, 2012

After Sherwood Pines I was on a high but it wasn't long until I was brought back down to earth with a crash - quite literally. That was the pits.

Descending Machen Mountain I decided to have a go at a tricky section. I apparently rode the tricky bit well but I had not considered how much speed I would carry out. Anyway I went off course into the shrubbery and landed really heavily on my right shoulder fracturing my collarbone with barely a scratch on the rest of my body.

I am just hoping it won't be too long before I am back on my mountain bike. I will be returning to hospital next Tuesday for a check up and they will decide then if I will need an operation or not. The fracture is only small and on the knobbly bit at the end of the collarbone which apparently is good and bad. Good as small with little de-alignment but bad because if they do need to operate it is hard to get to and means messing with the shoulder. So fingers crossed and a lot of resting.

In the meantime I am trying to hold my patience whilst using my left hand rather than my right. It is extremely frustrating, been very boring and everything takes ages and some things I just can not do. (Huge thanks to my mum for the homemade meals in my freezer). Last Tuesday when I was feeling very foolish and way too sorry for myself I read this blog by Tom Wheeler from Mojo, he paralysed his right arm last year and with a lot of determination is working towards mountain biking again. It was very inspiring and snapped me out of my self pitying mood.

Rob Rowe OF Finely Tuned Ride

This weekend was the pits again though on a more positive note as I was supporting Mark in the defence of his 24 hour Vets title at the 24 Hours of Exposure. Also helping out was Niall Frost from Xcracer and Rob Rowe of Finely Tuned Ride. Niall had proved his worth last year and Rob stepped up when he heard I had broken my collarbone. I know for sure that Mark's bikes were no way as clean or well checked over last year. Niall and Rob made a brilliant pit crew and I was not much help but it was good to be there. We had no complications and Mark had a brilliant race completing 20 laps in the allocated time finishing 2nd overall and 1st Vet maintaining his British and European old man title. Really proud of him, he makes it look so easy.