Got out of hospital yesterday nursing a broken shoulder. Fell off while practising the Cross-country course for the National Mountainbike Championships last weekend. Two operations later I’ve got it screwed and plated, so looks like I will be out for a while.

Spare a thought for Reg Haig though. The Marie Curie team rider fell off about 200yds further on from where I crashed. He broke a rib which punctured his lung! Reg was airlifted to Selly Oak hospital in a critical condition. I contacted the hospital today, and they told me that Reg was much improved, and may be transferred to a hospital closer to his home within the next 24hrs. We wish you speedy recovery Reg.

I know we all moan sometimes about the rules of racing, but just imagine if we had been practising outside of the official practice times. There would have been no marshals to raise the alarm, and no paramedics to sort us out. They deserve more praise and credit than we ever give them. The ones that looked after me were brilliant.

Time for my afternoon nap now. Bein’ injured takes it out of you.

PS.This week I have been mostly listening to ‘Learn French’ with Michel Thomas!

Gotta do sumfin.