Taiwan to Denver...thinking!

I’m typing this from the air. The chair in front of me is up my nose and the guy beside me has his elbow wedged in-between my ribs. This is the life! I’ve just completed the Tour of Taiwan minus the events of last year! My team mates did well and I did as well as I could.

Seriously though, I’m happy. I’m homeward bound to see Grace and I have all my bones intact, such a different story to 12 months ago.

I’ve done a lot in 12 months and a lot has happened. I’ve learnt a few life lessons and I don’t think I would be in such a good place right now if the past was any different. I’m generally a more grateful person and I have Grace to thank for that one. If I was left to my own devices I'd probably be popping happy pills and my cheap weighing scales would be reading “ERROR” at the shear horror of my ‘plates of meat’ maxing them out! Scary thought!

The leg break really opened my eyes to the fact that you can’t plan anything, you have to plan but you better have a plan B or be prepared to roll with the punches. 2013 was a twisted year, I had my best year on a bike and a few miserable dips off the bike, in real life! I was flicking through my photos when I found some photos of Joe McNally. It just keeps hitting me that he’s not around, not on this planet anymore! I’m on the road a lot and I work off memories and past experiences. There is still a side of me expect to see Joe when I head back to Dublin...I don’t know what to say about that right now.

I’ve won 3 World championship medals, a world cup gold and a European bronze, in the year and I’m still the same dude doing the same things. Funny because if you told me that 2 years ago that would have been it, retired, adios, au revoir, ciao! Obviously its not, i’m still here, living on airline food, energy bars and the odd burrito and I’m grateful doing it! The miseries I talk about above shaped my life for the better and I’m just happy doing what I’m doing. You never know whats around the corner, I’m just grateful that I might get to see it.



M

17/3/14

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