I’VE had a rough week, I won’t lie. I’m still up in Aviemore, and I’ve managed to collect my new bike.

The only problem is that I haven’t been able to ride it, because I’m still laid low by the flu.

Honestly, it has been like being back in radiation. All these bugs attack your nervous system and mine just wasn’t quite equipped for it.

At least the fact it has rained every day this week hasn’t made me feel too guilty about not getting on the bike. Ironically, I think I should pretty much be over the bug in the next 24 hours but it is forecast to rain again.

The most moving images I’ve taken in this last week have been the ones from the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landing. It’s so hard to imagine exactly what these soldiers faced 75 years ago.

As I lay on my sofa struggling with what the flu has done to my radiation body I watch John Hatton, a 94-year-old soldier, jump out of a plane to recreate his jump 75 years ago. I think ‘come on, David we have to get over this flu and out on our bike’.

But even as I try to stand even my legs give way, it’s like the flu has attacked my spinal cord. I can hardly hold my own body weight.

The muscles in my neck are in bits from days of coughing I was unable to make my train south.

After John landed, he stood tall and proud looking up into the sky. It makes me think how the life we enjoy now is down to these men, and to honour what they did we should strive to live our own life’s with the same values and courage these men showed.

I think of the nerves we feel before a race or an event and then you think of what must have been going through the minds of those young men that day.

The first break in the rain here in Aviemore on a calm Friday morning, coincided with my cough breaking. So I had a thought that maybe I could ride, then I look at my Garmin Watch and the numbers there are still not great. So another day on the sofa. This is killing me, but as I have come to learn over years of sport is the numbers don’t lie. I track what’s known as HRV or heart rate variability. It is a direct link to your nervous system, which itself is tied to your entire body and mind.

Your nervous system influences all your internal organs and controls responses to exercise, recovery, nutrition, sleep and mental stress, thus it gives you a comprehensive snapshot of your overall stress load. Unfortunately the numbers right now show my body is in a high level of stress and the last thing I need is to dig a deeper hole, so for today it’s another day on the sofa with hot water and lemon.

It

He’s a great role model, he didn’t slate anyone, blame the referee, say this happened or that happened. he just said I got caught on the head and the better fighter won on the day. Same with karate, doesnt’ necesarily mean the guy is better than you, just that he had a better day.

I couldn’t sleep, the thing I track on my Garmin was flashing up. it is okay because it has rained every day. horizontal rain so I didn’t feel too guilty. Today was nicer, I was going to have a spin. I’m pretty sure by tomorrow I should be okay

I woke up on Wed, my train was booked for. I was in a real bad way I couldn’t,

Noel came to, The train was at 8.30 and at 8.15am I was still sitting in my shorts. I think sub consciously

I’ve got my new bike here up in Aviemore. I just can’t ride it.

I am over the worst of it.

We got our MBE’s on the same day. Pam, one of the girls on the boat, said that’s Anthony Joshua he is a future world champion, it wasn’t until he exploded on the scene.

I used to pay to watch the Mike Tyson fights and stuff when I was young. I guess the whole stport woke up and that what happened there.

When 120 kilos hits you, 120 kilos hits you. I reme,mber one of my katate teachers thought me ‘mever judged abook by its cover. I see that in all of my sports, someone might not look the greatest, but you put a sporting kit on and they start smashing world records. From what I have read Joshua is still quite new to it. DOn’t conform to what we perceive as the ideal form for a boxer.

If you do get caught you can take a few punches, sport can bring you down a peg or two. I liked the way Joshua responded, I genuinely think he is a good role model. He still is the Olympic gold medalist, he might still do it. He would still have a decent chance of a rematch, Fury and Wilder, also

IT has been a week of sporting surprises. Joshua hit the canvas on the way to loosing his unbeaten record and three belts, while Andy Murray announced his return to Queens, it’s safe to say the world of sport has throwing up some surprises this week.

and it kind of makes racing a bike not such a nerve wracking experience. More a privileged experience, and as Joshua said don’t let it go to your head when you win and not to your heart when you loose as after all this is just sport, we are not fighting for our life’s.

THis guy’s preparation is going to be slightly different, how is he going to deal with that. Joshua get his head down, re-match will be a different dynamic.