Tubed! A big thank you for all your posts and the support that was generated and came with it whilst I was out on the trail. Being on the back foot from start day wasn't the way I envisaged the master plan of things on my first Freedom Challenge. Fanie & I, having never met until the night before and on the 1st day on the trail, became the best of friends. What a super guy! Freedom, even though it only lasted 11 days, for me was an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime! With the mishaps, crash and the downsides that occurred, I was increasingly amazed at what the human body can do when the mind wills the body on and commands it to do what you want it to do. Obviously with the help of pain meds from time to time - (advice to others; not always a good thing) Yet, we are not mechanical machines and somewhere, somehow something was bound to give. Pushing drive-side crank 60/70% of the time trying to relieve the pressure off the left knee on the drive-assist side, had to run out of 'piston pressure eventually. I knew deep down this would be inevitable and was just a matter of time before luck ran out. That time came en-route to Chesney Wold. Having seen the specialist back home, 6 weeks of rehab and physio and then we are hopefully good to go! So glad I managed to push to Rhodes even though it was 5 days too late for me, the Freedom trail beckons and if all goes well, 2015, I will be back on the start line. Valuable experiences gained over 11 days, some of the most amazing and incredible people met. (Stu Brew to mention one! Fantastic human being!!) I experienced humility like no other and have no regrets. Grateful I live to tell the stories and still have the opportunities for now to go back and fight another day. So! for now! here's to 2015! Big congrats to all the finishers so far and thoses coming through! Big respect and thank you for keeping the fire burning within for thoses of us that experienced misfortunes along the way... Thank you.
