23rd June 2015
Hello again my loyal cycling friends.
Those of you who have been with me since the beginning will have hopefully come to appreciate the lighthearted, whimsical and sometimes sarcastic nature of my prose. So I thought for 2015 I would continue in the same vein, however sometimes events conspire against us. Since the publication of the first 2015 NSG Psyclopaths blog on 8th June, a fresh a new challenge has been presented to yours truly.
On 10th June 2015 I was diagnosed with Lymphoma!
So my faithful chums it’s time to get serious.
I decided that I wanted to share not only my preparations for the Rivers Ride but also the journey that I am about to embark upon in the form of whatever treatment our glorious NHS are going to throw my way. The Foundation kindly agreed to my request and so the challenging journey begins here.
When given the news it doesn’t sink in at first. It’s only when you begin to think about the effects on not just yourself but also your family, friends and colleagues, that reality starts to bite and the emotional roller-coaster picks up speed. To try to come to terms with the news I did what any self respecting Rivers Rider would do and that was to get on the bike and do a 42 mile round trip to Southport. In hindsight it wasn’t such a good idea as trying to see where you are going through the floods of tears proved tricky to say the least. Perhaps I’ll just stick to hill climbs in the coming weeks which will give me another reason to cry!
I’ll know more as to what treatment will be coming my way following another CT scan and biopsy on the 22nd June. In the meantime the cycling preparations will continue and despite whatever physical and mental condition I will be in, I am determined to be in Fitz Park on Sunday 27th September clad in lycra.
Last year I did the Community Circuit in just over three hours and I challenged myself then to break the three hour mark next time. However to get round at all this year could be an even greater challenge, so come and join me in having a go – it’ll be a blast, especially if our friends at Jennings bring those bigger glasses!!
Right, enough of the serious stuff! Having checked the entry list for the various rides there doesn’t appear to be much commitment from the original Psyclopaths or indeed the lesser know NSGeese, perhaps the memory of the lovely Whinlatter is just giving them pause for thought or in the case of Rust Bucket Rudd, the bike has seized up! But your excuses are falling on deaf ears my fellow Psyclos, come on, get signed up!
So until the next time I’ll leave you with the thoughts of that wise old man I know;
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at a time of challenge and controversy.”
Illigitimi Non Carborundum!