Well, the best laid plans went up in smoke for me over the last few weeks.

Unfortunately I came down with the flu a few days before I was due to race the GP Izola in Slovenia at the end of February. Typically, I convinced myself that I would get better quick and be able to race in Slovenia. Taking that flight to Slovenia was a big mistake and it didn’t lead to fun times at all. I’ll learn from it and hopefully it won’t be a mistake I’ll make again! It was extremely frustrating to let the days tick by without riding my bike, knowing that my form was slowly slipping away.

Having never had the flu before, I can now definitively say that the flu is a lot more hardcore than a cold. I basically was man down for about a week. Joints aching, freezing cold fever, boiling hot fever, worst headache ever and so weak that walking to the bathroom was a struggle.

I’ve had my setbacks in cycling like everyone has, but for some reason this one seemed like a massive kick in the teeth.

I knew it would rule me out of riding the early season classic races in Belgium and I was super gutted as a result. Mentally I lost the plot. But I’ve got good team-mates, friends and family who are good for cheering me up and reminding me about the bigger picture!

There are certain moments that I would describe as my lowest during this period of self-despair.

Although I’d say the definite low point was stumbling out of bed naked to the toilet, with the worst headache in the world, feeling terrible and walking square straight into the door frame. Just when you think things can’t get any worse…

Anyway, self-pitying, depressing rambles over, I am now pretty much myself again.

For the next few weeks I’m just focusing on getting some good training back in the legs and regaining my fitness. I’m feeling myself again now and the energy levels are back. It is amazing how much more positive your thought process is when you are feeling healthy! With patience I believe I can get back to good race shape by the end of March and that’s what I’m aiming for now.

Time to listen to some Eye of the Tiger and get back in the game!

Images in this article