I woke up after an awful nights sleep due to my ribs. I move around a hell of a lot in my sleep because my bone tumour makes my legs hurt if I am in the same position for too long. Once my ribs were bust each and every movement in bed woke me up in heaps of pain. We'd decided against the full English breakfast that the farmer's wife made for the campers. It was a little on the expensive side and I wasn't convinced I would keep it down once I set off. I still regret not having it, I have a feeling it would have been a huge breakfast cooked really well.
We left the campsite and headed for our start point near Leominster but today I didn't get the same relief from the rib pain when I sat in the race chair. In fact it was worse, a lot worse. Along with the bust ribs I had a small tear in my left pec and my chest was really tight so I was struggling for breath. Only a few hundred meters after setting off I said to Nick we needed to pull in at the next layby as I was in a bit of trouble. I'm quite good with pain, my legs hurt 24/7 so normally a bit more pain doesn't bother me but the ribs, pec and asthma symptoms were a bit too much for me. Before we got to the next layby we saw a guy who was walking in the opposite direction - John O'Groats to Lands End. He was doing it unsupported so everything he needed for the trip was in his kit bag on his back. We both clapped each other and although we didn't stop it was really nice to acknowledge each others efforts. I got a buzz off someone doing something similar to me, it gave me a boost to see someone almost as nuts as I am.
Around 5 minutes after passing the JOGLE walker I spotted two ladies parked up on the grass verge on the opposite side of the road. They were making lots of noise, clapping and cheering whilst trying to cross the busy main road. They managed to cross just as I got level with them. They shouted good luck and told me I was amazing. They handed Nick a couple of quid sponsorship and he stopped to talk to them and explain what I was doing and who I was doing it for. Their kind words and donation to the charity gave me a real boost. They already seemed to have a rough idea what I was doing, maybe they had seen the motorhome decals or some of the press reports thanks to Elouise, Natalie and Lance's hard work back at home. I managed to limp on to the 6 mile mark thanks to the motivation I received from both the JOGLE walker and the two ladies enthusiasm. Nick had already spoken to Ed and Ant through the motorhome window to tell them I needed to sort myself out ASAP. Ed found the closest layby and when I pulled in the deckchairs were out, my meds were waiting for me and Ant was making a brew - maybe my magic medicine might help! I took some painkillers and myself and Ed put some padding in the chair to slightly change my seating position and hopefully relieve some of my pain. I also took my inhaler to ease my chest, I very rarely use my inhaler these days because my asthma doesn't bother me often. It's normally only when I am ill I struggle for breath.
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| On our way towards Shrewsbury |
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| Passing by Ludlow Castle, just a glimpse of it in the distance |
When the pain meds had kicked in we set off again, heading for our 9th county of the challenge - Shropshire. The flattest part of the entire push so far was when we came past The Shropshire Hills Centre. It tickled both Nick and me that there wasn't a hill in sight! To say I wasn't able to push properly I was batting along very well. It was frustrating that I was having to hold back, I'd have loved to see how fast I could have pushed on this route uninjured. My heart rate was only 136bpm which is lower than when I warm up before a training session on the track. In the end I managed to grind out just over 24 miles.
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| A car proving these signpost shots aren't staged! Shropshire. |
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| Another level crossing. |
Nick had to virtually lift me in to the motorhome which was parked in a pub carpark, I couldn't lift my arm high enough to grab the handrail to pull myself in. When I did make it inside the motorhome I just couldn't get comfortable so I ended up laying down again. I hate seeing people work when I can't join in. I buttered some bread in my bed for the sandwiches but I couldn't make myself useful in any other way. Dave from The 53 Foundation had got a radio station to interview me
over the phone. I absolutely hate talking on the phone. If Mother Hubbard gets 30 seconds of conversation over the phone she has done well. I have no idea where this phone call stress has come from but I've had it a while and try to text wherever possible. So I was totally bricking it, I made the lads take Bonnie for a walk so they weren't listening in and laughing at me. I managed to get through the interview without stuttering or swearing and I was pretty pleased with it in the end. The interview was to be played out a few times whilst I was in the area.
Day 8 Morning Stats
Miles: 24.34
Time: 2:16:29
Average Moving Speed: 10.7mph
Top Speed: 31.4mph
Slowest Mile Split: Mile 13 - 8:00
Fastest Mile Split: Mile 9 - 3:22
Total Ascent: 916ft
Average Heart Rate: 136bpm
Max Heart Rate: 154bpm
Day 8 Morning Progress Maps
Day 8 Afternoon
I took another strong pain killer at lunch to make getting back in my chair more bearable. The support I was getting on the A49 was incredible, lots of people were pipping, waving, clapping and cheering. I loved it! It really helped to pass the time and the miles whilst I was suffering. This part of the route was largely downhill so my average speed was the fastest of any push so far in the challenge.
The day had started to get really hot, both Nick and I were melting on one of the few climbs of Day 8. A car came past with the driver beeping out a tune with his horn. We both smiled and waved at him and didn't think much of it until in the next village the car looked like it had been dumped by joy riders. It had been parked in a hurry that's for sure - half on a grass verge at a wonky angle. The driver was stood on the pavement waiting for us to get to him. He had dumped the car and legged it to the village shop to buy us an ice cold bottle of water each. We stopped to accept the bottles from him and to thank him, he had seen us the day before as well as on today's morning push and he'd guessed what I was doing. He gave us £20 sponsorship when he heard about the work The 53 Foundation do, he was really interested in the charity do but told us to get on our way so we could get some more miles in. A few moments later he came past us again beeping his horn like a mad man - he had well and truly got in the spirit of things! I don't know the guy's name but on the off chance he reads this blog - thanks very much for your kindness!
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| Some hills in Shropshire but nowhere near the hill centre! |
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| Nick giving the thumbs up. |
It's really odd how much better a random act of kindness can make your day. A wave from the car would have kept my spirits up but what he did changed my mind set from 'lots of people want me to fail and I'm in pain' to 'Lots of random people who don't know me, friends and family believe in me'
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| Getting ready to pull in for a brew. |
We were heading for Shrewsbury that day as I was being given a free massage and treatment from a physio at Shrewsbury Town FC. My higher speed got me there faster than expected so I chose to use the extra time before my massage to take on Shrewsbury's ring road instead of leaving it until the morning. I had Ed and Ant driving behind me to protect me from cars driving into me so I felt a lot safer than a day earlier at Gloucester. For most of the dual carriageway I was loving the smooth tarmac. A good road surface can make a massive difference to the speed of a wheelchair, with our wheels not being in line like a bikes wheels it makes it much harder to avoid pot holes or even rough patches of worn tarmac. The only hairy part of this section of road was each time we reached a junction with people trying to enter or leave the ring road, again this is somewhere the second vehicle would have helped. I'd have felt a lot safer sandwiched between two vehicles. I had visions of a car bunny hopping the motorhome, cutting across the front of it to make an exit and taking Nick and I out in the process. Whilst on the ring road Nick spotted a sign for Preston
"Wow! Mate, We're nearly at Preston, I was meant to tell mum and dad when I was near Preston so they could come and visit us."
" Nick you dick! That is not the Preston you are thinking of!"
"Well how do you know that? It says Preston!"
"It says Preston 3 miles."
"so!?"
"So, bloody Preston is more than 3 miles from Shrewsbury you fecking tit!"
You really do have to love Nick, he's not thick at all, he just doesn't think before he opens his mouth. It's like his eyes bypass his brain and sends the message to speak straight to his mouth. He see's something and makes a daft comment straightaway without thinking about it. I love it.
Once we found our exit off the ring road we went through our now slick routine, Ed and Nick stripping the chair down and attaching the bike to the back of the motorhome whilst Ant got me my recovery drinks and bars.... along with a cup of tea. I'd say we had it down to less than 5 minutes now everyone knew their rolls. We headed for New Meadow stadium which is the home of Shrewsbury Town Football Club, one of their physios had stayed behind to treat me. The receptionist called the physio, Richie, down to see me and I followed him through the stadium in a mini behind the scenes tour to get to the treatment room. We had a quick chat about the challenge, the action of pushing a chair and the niggles I'd been feeling. Obviously there was nothing he could do for my ribs but he gave a really thorough massage of my full back, neck, shoulders, biceps and triceps then did what he could with my pecs. We got on pretty well, I'm a qualified massage therapist so we had a bit in common. We chatted all about sports and how bad some people are at sports massage, I struggle like mad at home to find somebody who can massage properly. A lot of therapists are scared to go deep enough so all they are doing is stroking you better which I find a bit creepy. A good sports massage is pretty uncomfortable as they put a lot of pressure on. That is exactly what Richie was doing, it was sore but I knew it would be worth it. He then used ultrasound on my pec to aid the healing process. He spent a lot of time working on me and I was really grateful.
After Richie had treated me he led me through the changing rooms to the contrast baths. Two very big baths one which he ran hot water in to, the other he filled with cold water and four buckets of ice. I then spent 20 minutes switching between the baths every 2 minutes. Unlike footballers who can get away with sitting in a shallow bath just icing their legs, most of my niggles were upper body niggles; I had to lay down in the ice. The contrast between hot and cold made the hot feel burning hot and the cold feel like Kate Winslet was going to push me off her plank of wood to my certain death before saving herself. It really wasn't pleasant. After 20 minutes of the torture of Celine Dion belting out 'My Heart Will Go On' on loop in my head I towelled off and instantly felt better. Yes my ribs felt sore but my other niggles were a thousand times better.
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| Richie Higgs and myself post massage. |
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| Luckily I hadn't drowned in the ice bath. |
I called the lads to let them know I would be ready shortly, they had been to find the campsite. It was Oxon Hall Touring Park and they were Our 8th free site. It wasn't far from the Stadium so it didn't take long for them to get back for me. I introduced Richie to the lads and Bonnie and asked him for some photos for facebook. Then it was time for goodbyes, what a top lad for staying behind after work to help me out for free. He didn't rush the job either. The people of Shropshire had been by far the friendliest on the trip so far. I'd had so much support that day it was humbling.
During the drive to the campsite, after Ed's double entendre fest around the subject of getting a massage from a lad, the three of them were telling me how beautiful this new campsite was and how we had an amazing pitch right next to a very large pond. They weren't wrong, the campsite was very posh, the pitch was a lovely one too. If Mother Hubbard went caravanning then its the type of site that she would love. When I saw the list of rules and regulations I couldn't help wishing we were back at the Nicholson's farm with the one rule of not damaging his precious grass! No swearing!? What is that bollocks about? We broke that rule a few hundred times that's for sure. We had to keep reminding each other that we had the windows open!
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| Our motorhome right next to the pond. |
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| A lovely spot. |
That night Ed made a cracking Thai Green Curry. One of my favourite meals and in a minor miracle Nick actually tried some. I think the beige colour helped him get his head around eating something that wasn't chips, noodles, chicken or fish in bread crumbs, bread, toast, plain rice...
I was absolutely knackered so I went to bed at 7:30PM I tied a scarf around the slats on Nicks bed above mine to pull myself up with as doing a sit up was extremely painful because of the ribs. I also hung a towel over another slat to section off what was meant to be the foot end of the bed. The foot end was very narrow as the bathroom cut into the bed at this point. I had decided to use that end for my head as I could make it darker with the towel but also by having a pillow next to me there was zero space to roll over and wake myself up in pain during the night. Nick was up late again working on my gloves with his sewing needle, Ed and Ant stayed up to keep him company and they took bonnie for a long walk too. I was happy with my 45 miles for the day and glad to be moving north now!
Day 8 Afternoon Stats
Miles: 20.64
Time: 1:38:04
Average Moving Speed: 12.6mph
Top Speed: 29.9mph
Slowest Mile Split: Mile 4 - 6:46
Fastest Mile Split: Mile 8 - 3:07
Total Ascent: 427ft
Average Heart Rate: 141bpm
Max Heart Rate:163bpm
Day 8 Afternoon Progress Maps
Total Daily Mileage 44.98
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