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Where Do Triathletes Go On MTB’s?

A&E, that’s where!

I’d picked up my new MTB from the lovely peeps @ Wiggle a fortnight ago and ever since it had been burning a hole in the garage, so this weekend I was loving splashing about through the muddy puddles at Shotover in Oxford, getting used to the Focus First’s suspension bouncing me about. I’ve only ever ridden road bikes before, so it all seemed like an exciting new world of fun and games.

Unfortunately, as we were going over some jumps, I somehow managed to catapult myself off the saddle, over the bars and smack-bang-wallop onto my left shoulder. I heard something crunch as I landed and then felt a not-so-nice burning feeling in my left quad. Ouch. As I stood up and the rest of the gang came to investigate what I’d done, I knew my shoulder just wasn’t right. Arrrrgggghhhh! Then followed that pain which makes you want to laugh, cry, scream, swear and run around all at the same time.

We were soon up at the John Radcliffe where an X ray showed a subluxed left shoulder (partial dislocation) plus a good gash on my leg. In recent weeks I’ve been having probs with my right shoulder too, which subluxes of its own accord, so for the time being I’m going to be getting stuck into physio and rehab.

It is frustrating, as I was just getting into the swing of winter training, but I am 110% confident I’ll be out of this sling and back in action before Christmas. If not, I know what’ll be top of my Christmas list!

Happy (accident-free) riding
EK

Ouch!