Labrynthitis

Not much has happened here recently - and that's basically because I have
been ill. Once I recovered from the accident on my bike and my arm had
healed - I came down with Labrynthitis 4 weeks ago.

This was a viral infection of my inner ear - causing me to loose my balance,
throw up, and have virtigo etc. Bloomin horrible - spent 2 days in St
Thomas's hospital in London and a further couple of weeks at home.

I am back at work now - but only 3 days a week and I still cannot drive or
ride my bike!

Hope it will all go away soon - I am still quite dizzy.

BHF Sponsored ride

I am riding for the British Heart Foundation on the 3rd October from Oxford to Cambridge - please sponsor me here: http://www.bhf.org.uk/sponsor/marksharrock/

This is a 70 mile road ride - a distance I have never covered before and I'll be doing it on my mountain bike! Go on - donate a few quid!

Cheers

Mark.

Fractured Arm

Last Thursday - riding along Grays Inn Road in London - a Blue Rover pulled out of a side street without looking. Unfortunately he pulled out right in front of me. I managed to stop by using my face to break on the tarmac and ended up in Hospital. Diagnosis - a fractured arm and a week off work to recover. Lots of swelling and bruising - my right knee is very painful as is my right wrist - which is in a splint to prevent me from twisting it. Still - am in one piece and there wasn't too much damage to the bike - scratches in the main.

Thankfully I was wearing a brand new Giro lid - as my head came down quite hard on the tarmac. It did it's job - cracked and dissipated the force - so thank you Giro - I am pretty sure if I hadn't been wearing it I would be in intensive care at the moment.

Recovering slowly - the use of my arm has not properly returned - I cannot grip anything and am having to type left hand only (getting quicker!)

As a goal - I have set myself the task of completing the Oxford to Cambridge bike ride on the 3rd October. 70 miles on road. The max I have done in a day is 50 miles off road - so this should be interesting, especially as I will be doing it on my mountain bike - so the gearing will be all wrong. If you fancy sponsoring me - please drop me a line, it's in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

Monday morning and a quicker ride!

Rode to the station this morning in 20 mins - 10 mins quicker than normal and 5 mins better than my previous best. Quite pleased with that. Took the weekend off from training. Not sure what I am training for yet - perhaps the autumn Polaris? Need to convince some other fool to go on that as well. Any takers? http://www.polaris-apparel.co.uk/Endurance%20UK/endurance.htm

 

It's going to be in the North West of England - most likely the Lakes and is on the 09 - 10 October. Drop me a line if you fancy entering.

 

Need to think up another challenge - something like the West Highland Way - that I can aim for and train for etc. Any ideas?

 

 

 

New Web Site

I have got my web site up and running at http://www.clansharrock.co.uk/

Feel free to take a look - it has access to some of my photos, including my mountain biking trips.

Also there are some of my mothers underwater photography photos - she was included in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year book. Quite cool photos - just look under the link to Sally Sharrock.

The West Highland Way

Last year - myself and Alistair Biggin rode the West Highland Way in two days. I must have been a lot fitter then - but looking at the pictures I was just as fat! The whole story can now be found here: http://www.clansharrock.co.uk/west_highland_way.htm

The pictures are here: http://www.clansharrock.co.uk/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album14

I wonder what our next mad trip will be….?

Cycling

Have started cycling to work every day.

Only done a week of it so far, but it is quite adictive. Cycle to the station - about 9.5k and then put the bike on the train and cycle from the station to work - another 2k I guess.

Also started using the gym at work. I need to loose quite a bit of weight.

A Fine Weekend

What a great weekend - the weather has been wonderful. My parents phoned to say that they were back from Nambia - they both took their new digital cameras and Dad's taken about 1000 photos - Mom no doubt many more. My son went to a fancy dress as a cowboy - he looked way cool. Can't believe he is 4 years old already!

Need to speak to Jason Smith again - seem to have lost touch with him recently which is a shame.

The guy on my early train into London every morning comes up with a weird "Thought for the Day". Every day! Is there a book for these sorts of things?

My new blog

Well - I am going to use this to just simply note down all the odd things I see/hear of etc. and perhaps some general comments etc. I might post a few photo - but I have a web site for that - see Clan Sharrock Web Site.