It’s been a while since my last update.
Xterra Italy in July was a race I was really looking forward to , being invited by Mr.Wolf Hart and the 
team hosted in the beautiful area of Ambruzzo I was not disapointed and welcomed by Wolf and co up in the mountains of lago de Scanno , a village in a sunny and warm mountainous lanscape. Usually a ski resort but the streets were buzzing with locals and toutristra alike.
I set out on the bike for the pre ride as usual but hapf way round it strated to thunder and lightning rain pouring with rain, the hills were steep and relentless, but that was all fine as it so beautiful. I got sightly over excited after threee hours of riding and hit the tricky loose desensts at a speed hitting a corner and wiping my fron wheel from under me, bamng I was on the groun not unusual dor ke but this time I hit a sharp rock that punched a deep hole in my knee resulting in my bone being exposed and the skin hanging off. It was not hurtin g or bleeding so I got back on and made it to the transition by the lake , wher I found soem assaitance , who told me to ride home ( all up hill) and drive to the nearest hosloital to get it stitched up. (a mere 60 km away. I knew it needed stitches but as I could walk and had no pian I thought that was all feasible .Until the organiseres changed tbeir mind and gave me a lift to the hospital.During the journey my nkee satrted to sell and then the pain..
It was an experience in the hospital as no one could s[pek Englishh luckily I had Italian friend with me who had to translate, they stitched me up gave ,e lots of drugs and sent me on my way , unfrtunately I fainted on my way back to the car as I had an allergic reaction to the coctail of drugs.I finalluy madde it back by that time my cahnces of racing were nil as I couldnt bend my knee. I hobbled around for a few days and enjoyed the race as a spectartyior , gained vital kbopwledge of how it looks from that side . and how e= all look , whic gabe me a unique a pricivileded view point. I gained alot of admiration for everyone as it was some tough race
My intentio was to swpoen d=sme time in Rome but as I coud t walk I sepent it in the hotel and vilaage chillingf a dn enjoying the sun/atmosphere made alot of lovely friends d=rm all around the worls in Xterra family. I am so happy to a baprt of this world ven more when you cant race.
It took a while fopr the wounds to heal and I sepnt this time to do the things that I wanted to do..go to see friends and summer festivals! Fantastic fewq weeks of reast , and then afyer two weeks back into hard core trainig and workuing , it took a few weeks to get the fitness back by=ut I think sometimes tis is a good thing to go throughb to tale a back seat amd re group
