The MTB Race Run That Broke My Leg 😬

I’ve escaped! 🙌

Long road to recovery well underway thanks to my amazing Physio – https://www.projectphysio.net

Short story – having a delightful time in Cyprus, weird incident, broke my leg, compartment syndrome, 6 operations, 27 days in hospital, MVP my girlfriend Imy for spending the last month in Cyprus smuggling snacks into the hospital for me 🙏

Long Story – I was having an incredible time out training in Cyprus with Tom getting big days in on our Highlander II’s and riding some incredible trails thanks to Freeride CY showing us the goods! On the weekend before we were due to fly home there was a local DH race on hosted by Gravity CY at Stavrovouni. The track was amazing fun so we were excited to race it! Just before our seeding runs were due to start a massive rain storm came in completely changing the track, with the thought that finals might be cancelled due to the weather I decided to push hard in my seeding run to try for a good time. Unfortunately I washed out in a corner however I thought I had managed to save it but my leg got trapped between a bank and my pedal and just instantly folded in half knowing my leg was broken I crashed into a bush and fell over (the video at the end of the post). Thanks to the amazing organisation of Gravity CY it wasn’t long before I was taken off the track and driven to the hospital. X-rays at the hospital confirmed what I had known for hours, that my leg was obliterated. I got some paracetamol and was checked into the hospital due for surgery when the swelling went down. Unfortunately however that night I developed compartment syndrome in my leg and had to have emergency surgery at 2am to relive the pressure. It took 3 weeks and 4 more minor operations before the leg was ready for the final surgery to put metalwork in and stabilise the fractures. This operation went well and I’ve now got a massive plate bolted onto my tibia holding everything together. After 27days in the hospital I’m now free and on my way home! Leg feels good and I will keep you all updated on the recovery process as I find out more.

I can’t thank my amazing girlfriend enough for everything she has done for me over the last three and a half weeks bringing me food and clothes and saving me from loosing my mind with boredom in the hospital 😅

Here we go it’s race day Tom race day baby it’s race day helmet’s ready bike’s ready back numbers on number I’m Eli toac out here ready for a big day out in the bike get some r in get some wrist in here we go here we are Tom top of the hill for

Practice you guys ready oh yeah wasn’t so we’re up in the start gate for practice Tom’s about to drop in for his practice run dropping in try looks like it’s got a little bit of moisture from last night so we’ll see how that is thank you e got watch that r

This going to be a physical ped woo that kind of works oh got something there that was dry but it would dry out yeah I think it’ll dry out nicely it was really good fun so good yeah boy nice here we go tom head up for seeden now this is exciting Tom’s

Terrified bikes are ready for it oh Tom’s about to take the whole Cliff down with him Tom you you’re ruining our shelter we’re just hiding under this Cliff hiding from the rain before seed and run tracks getting a little bit a little bit of moisture on it just to get a little bit

Spicy what do you think think it’s going to be slippery I think it’s going to be real slippery it’s going to be real slippery it’s pretty exciting helping me need a pee it’s actually it’s having at it now it’s properly raining we’re in for a treat time first race of the year and

It’s a wet one and we haven’t practiced in the wet haven’t practiced in the wet oh boy they’re in the Olive Tree I don’t know if we get I don’t know if we’re up soon yeah we must be up soon it’s getting heavier holy I don’t really want this to

Avalanche on me but I also don’t want to get wet it’s a real a real tricky situation to be in he’s getting ready what the number is he eight we got a good about five minutes there is a freaking gazebo down there this is going to be full though is

It we’re going to try and get tucked under the [Applause] Gazebo there we go I’ve been summoned from the shelter time to wait in the key although it feels like the rain’s uh calming down a little bit but I’m freezing come to Cypress they said Tom

It’d be sunny they said Tom it’s nice we’re roting in Tom’s in the gate and it is raining out here it’s going to be wet it’s going to be wet it’s like a river it’s going to be pretty exciting 5 4 3 2 1 go yeah

Boy time’s having it 5 4 3 2 1 go yeah boy here we go this is a proper wet one now so far the grip seems okay we’re in a river so visibility is the biggest issue but the drips okay can slow down quite well but it is a river so I can’t

Really see oh I’m soaking wet now steady on the wooden feature this is going to help the Sprint that was a pedal it’s the only way okay has it come yeah I’m I’m filming it for his vlog so he’s just had the big crash here just had the big crash

Here broke his ankle and knee and leg and everything and now we’re going down he’s stressed may have just broken his leg in a million places I’ve got lain’s bike heading down to the high car now and then I’m going to meet him at the hospital he’s just hopping into the ambulance

Now it’s all right L I’ll finish your race R for you dog how we feeling not not not the happiest I’ve ever been a little bit roasted a little bit roasted but as I’m sat here I do have some news for you to you won the

Race I won the race you won the race it got cancered cuz of the rain did it actually did I is he won actually so just made it into the hospital um looks like a bag of it looks like a bag of bones in that leg so it’s not particularly positive

Looking we’ll have to wait and see what they say but I think I think I’d quite like some painkillers now so I have to wait and see all right it looks like I’m looks like I’m seeing some people now let’s go so I’ve had the x-rays the leg is

Obliterated which is kind of what it felt like uh still no pain colors though about 5 hours in so legs not feeling great but they’ve put it in some plaster and then at some point in the next few days I’ll get some surgery to get some

Metal in there get it all nice and strong here we go day four in the hospital uh legs looking terrible I had like compartment syndrome or something so it had to get all opened up it was pretty pretty gruesome um but just waiting for the swelling to go down

The leg and then I can get some plates in there and start start getting better day five in hospital just had uh third surgery last night uh so my legs looking nice and grim but I think it’s getting closer to the ACT surgery

And got my jam got my jam on bread and I got a hot glass of milk so I’m cooking out here it’s good stuff day eight in the hospital ready for surgery number four wo leg looks fantastic still so hopefully the surgery get a little bit of something done day 10 in the

Hospital don’t know if I’m ever going to leave Cyprus here we go day 11 in the hospital the sign the sign is back up that sign means I’m not allowed to eat not allowed to drink but but means I get another operation Operation number five which is exciting and basically just

Need need to get the cuts all sealed up and then once as soon as they’re sealed up I’ll be able to fly home and then get the bones put back together in the UK so I’m hopeful it’s today they said if it doesn’t doesn’t happen today might

Happen on Friday if it doesn’t happen on Friday might happen on Monday doesn’t happen on Monday might happen at some point next week um I’m I’m never going to leave Cyprus I’ve accepted that now day 12 great success legs all closed up now uh just

Need to work out to get home and then get more surgery I’d probably go as far as to say that I can’t recommend compartment syndrome it’s not it’s not that much fun um as for the the broken W not even started fixing that yet day 14 in the

Hospital 2 weeks let’s go uh looks like just spoke to the doctor next surgery will be probably on Tuesday or Wednesday it’s Saturday now so Tuesday when it’s in another like three or 4 days and then maybe maybe maybe be able to fly home after that it’s been a

While day 15 in the hospital I’m sat I’ve escaped the bed in a chair having a great time leg looks wonderful day 16 in the hospital like’s feeling good day 17 in the hospital surviving day 18 in the hospital it looks like I have at least another week in the hospital

So I live here now here we are 3 weeks in day 21 in hospital day 24 in hosital day 25 in the hospital day 27 I’m out of here let’s go there we go now that was a lot longer in Cypress than I I expected end up been

There for six weeks instead of the uh two I’d originally had planned but made it home I’ve been home about a week managed to see a physio Kenny yesterday and he had me working I’ll put the videos of these exercises but he had I was like

Working my gamy leg I was working the rest of my body like B overhead press some one Leed standups with my uh good leg he also had these little cuffs that restrict blood flow and that makes your muscles work way harder than without them which meant that after after the

Session I was pretty tired I hadn’t done anything for a good few weeks so a proper session with Kenny was enough to really Tucker me out and in today SE in the hospital I was in in the hospital seeing the orthopedic people and got got

A new boot new fresh crap um it’s going to be a few weeks before I can start walking and then 3 to four months before I’m back back on the bik doing stuff again so that’s exciting uh I’ll try and document the recovery process so if you’ve got any questions about anything

Or you want to know more about any stuff let me know in the comments I’ll try and cover it a little bit but thanks for watching see you later know