Hi all,

I have had an interesting week and a day…spent time focussing on riding the new TT bike as last blog the bike was put together by Athlete Services of Henley. What a great bunch of guys Filipe, Rob and Tom are.  So passionate about cycling and triathlons it infectious!

I am getting into my cycling. In fact I omitted to tell you that when I finally got the bike I was so wrapped up and mesmerised in the fact that I finally had the new bike that after cruising around the car park, I forgot to take my shoes out the cleats and…fell over…great start! Lol!!!  Time to wake up and get the bike on the road…it rocks! It is sooooooooooo good!  This makes it no problem waking up and riding the bike for as far as I can…as long as I take the meds…wiggly handlebars make for interesting downhills!

On a different note, I freely admit that I am bloody angry about having Parkinson’s and frank about the fact that I channel that anger to more positive and constructive outcomes. It often pulls me through the toughest races and, certainly, assisted me in running 20 marathons in 10 days when injured.  However, I am sure that anyone with a disease would totally understand my surprise during my visit to a certain well known pharmacy.   I walked in and was greeted with a smile from the girl, who took my prescription.   The resident pharmacist was questioned by the girl who wanted to know whether she should give me my usual name brand medication.  The pharmacist said nothing to which the girl turned around and informed me that I was going to be given the generic version as they “didn’t get paid” for the name brand… I was shocked.   I didn’t know the generic; what effect would it have; would it be as good?  I started to get nervous.  My right arm started to shake noticeably; so I thrust my hand into my pocket and turned to the side.   I was annoyed that it wasn’t the pharmacist suggesting and equal alternative with explanation but, instead, the untrained and offhand opinion of someone who did not understand my disease making judgements as to what drugs I should take based upon whether they get paid for it.   I started to panic!

I refused the generic. I asked why, when my doctor had prescribed a brand, they should choose the alternative generic irrespective. I was determined not to just accept it.  The girl then turned to the pharmacist as said that if I wanted the brand medication, she wasn’t going to do it and that he should do it.  Then the pharmacist stepped in and sorted the prescription as originally intended. I was just gobsmacked!  Has this ever happened to you?  I left the pharmacy seething (albeit relieved that I’d got my meds) and determined to get on the road and work it out of my system.

The opportunity raised its head in Sunday’s long ride. The route winding off to Oxford, Thame and beyond and getting a little lost on the way; always good if the weather’s fine!  One puncture and some fantastic help from passing cyclists put me in the best mood for the BBQ that followed!

The Challenge Henley Tri is approaching fast and the docs have not yet given me the full approval to run.  The MRI is booked for the 5th September and I am itching to know what the outcome will be.  Personally, I feel that all is going to be well run wise.  In fact I can’t wait to feel the rhythm of my feet on the road and mile and mile just passing beneath.  The swim bothers me though.  On one hand I am excited at the prospect of swimming further than I have ever done; on the other I’m nervous as I feel under prepared.  But having never experienced an Ironman distance tri before… it will be quite an adventure! However, I feel stronger in my swim than the London tri; with more time in the water and stretching more I believe I can do it (that’s for you Paul!).  So more time training, less time wasting!

Keep moving and make it count!!!

Please donate today!  Make change happen for millions!!!   www.justgiving.com/alex-flynn

Hi

I’m just back from a ride on my new bike. Yes, I have finally gotten hold of my new TT bike for triathlons! It is beautiful! I have to say huge thank you to Athletes Services of Henley-on-Thames who assembled the bike (with a bit of amateur help from me) and provided fantastic encouragement when, quite honestly, I was a bit nervous about getting on a time Trial bike. I know that seems ridiculous, but I’m used to drop bars on road bikes so extending oneself down onto the bars like a pro cyclist felt alien. However, I think I’m getting the hang of it. In fact, I know I am and the miles are just flying by!

It is been an incredible seven days. Beginning the week with the news that my doctor suspects I have a stress fracture of my right tibia was not good. I’m still waiting for the MRI scan date but I’m confident that I will be in full form for the Challenge Henley Triathlon in September. So, getting the bike sorted was an imperative. I have to say thanks to Tim from CompresSport who kindly let me use his road bike in the interim. It’s amazing that when you need help you can always count on your friends! So the beginning of the week was bike building mixed with a heavy dose of swimming; coached by Russ Cox.

Midweek became completely surreal. As I mentioned last blog, I received a letter inviting me for an audience with the Pope; courtesy of the efforts of my friend Roberto. Thanks mate! So, on Tuesday morning I flew out to Rome with my brother Jon. This was a good opportunity to catch up with my brother whom I don’t see enough of, and we had a good laugh. Getting to Rome was easy. Taking the taxis was like playing Russian roulette! Both of us agreed that taxi drivers in Rome would either make the best Formula One drivers in the world or the best getaway drivers! I have to say they demonstrated amazing skill, insane courage, and remarkable multitasking whilst being incredibly scary and fun at the same time.

The trip was to see the Pope. Now I don’t mind what people think, whether it’s not their religion, or that they’re not religious at all. For me, to be in the presence (by invitation) of one of the most powerful people on the planet, having your name read out and then being blessed by the head of the Roman Catholic Church is quite something. I’d like to think that this is an incredible validation of my efforts to raise funding for and awareness of Parkinson’s for the 10MillionMetre campaign. Either way, it was huge encouragement and one which I am truly grateful for.

So the return from Rome was back to work, training and my wedding anniversary weekend. The weekend was great save for a couple of occasions when I did jazz hands at the waiters in the restaurant of the hotel that Aurélie and I were staying in. I don’t think they noticed but even if they did they didn’t say anything. I just sat there with my hand grasping my thigh and hoping that the tremors would pass and not ruin the occasion. It does frustrate me but I’m learning to control the stress that comes with tremor and Parkinson’s symptoms. You see, stress makes your symptoms worse when you have PD. The problem is that when you become stressed your PD gets worse and so you become more stressed and so the PD gets worse again, and the problem becomes one great big cycle. I’m getting better at breaking the cycle. It won’t cure my PD but socially it’s better, for now.

That’s it for now. Just remember to keep a positive mental attitude. As positive mental attitude equals positive performance and positive performance makes change happen!

Make change happen to yourself and others today. Keep moving!!

Hi

A couple of weeks have passed and a lot has happened. I’ve been on the radio. BBC Radio Oxford (the Malcolm Boyden show) invited me along for an interview.  It was interesting finally meeting Malcolm, as he had initially interviewed me over the phone whilst I was in Dubai running the marathon.  He’s a good interviewer and both him and Harry (the producer of the show) made me feel at ease.  Thanks guys.  I look forward to catching up after 11 August.

Why 11 August?   That’s a good question and one which deserves a good answer.  It seems, that while I was running across Europe , my good friend Roberto was busy making plans.  Roberto wrote to the Vatican.  Yes, the Vatican in Rome. Now why would Roberto do that?   Well I was running to Rome and I did mention in passing that it would be the icing on the cake to meet the Pope.   Although I knew that that was highly unlikely and that it really wasn’t worth worrying about. Roberto on the other hand thought this was a fantastic idea and promptly set about putting matters in place.  Would you believe it?   Roberto wrote to the Vatican and the Vatican replied offering an invitation to meet the Pope!  Wow!!  Now I don’t know whether this is a one-to-one, with a couple of people, or 1000 people.  What I do know is I’m very privileged and honoured to have such an invitation. So next week I get to meet the Pope! I really did not expect this. I’ll keep you updated.

Drama is always good on television.  But drama in one’s life is often unwanted.  I have had drama occur to me in the form of my doctor suggesting that I may have a stress fracture of my right tibia!  The reason that this came about was that since the trans-Europe challenge my right leg hasn’t completely gone down (from being grossly inflamed). I had thought that the tendinitis hadn’t quite resolved itself and the leg being still swollen was beginning to bother me.  So I rocked up to the medical surgery and explained what I had done.  The doctor raised her eyebrows.  I then proceeded to explain about the leg and that there was a sore point halfway up my shin.  I offhandedly asked whether or not she thought that my tendinitis was still continuing and, if so,whether or not there was anything she could do about it.  After examining my leg and pressing the sore point on my shin several times (and I admit that it hurt) she’d said that she thought that I had developed a stress fracture somewhere around the early stages of the trans-Europe.  I was extremely surprised.  Well, wouldn’t you be?  If this was true this would mean that somewhere around day three of the trans-Europe I must’ve been running on a damaged leg and if this is correct, then I ran the best part of 500 miles to Paris on that leg!!!  That’s hard!!  In fact, that’s bloody tough!  Okay, I’m jumping ahead a bit.  This is quite serious and I need to make sure I know exactly what I’m dealing with so that I can train correctly (or not train – if that is the case) and hopefully keep the Challenge Henley and Otter Trail chances alive.  Therefore, this morning I’m off to have an x-ray.  I know that there are some of you who would say that you can’t always see a stress fracture from an x-ray.  Yeah,  that’s correct and if so, they going to give me an MRI.  Either way, I’ll let you know.  I guess running is out of the question at the moment but riding my bike and swimming are totally on!!

Lastly, if you happen to pick up the latest edition of Reader’s Digest, I’m in it at pages 72 to 76.  It can be picked up at all good newsagents in the UK and I am told that it’s going worldwide (except for the US).  Speaking of the USA, plans are being made for next year and crossing the whole of the USA. More information to come as it develops!

So as you can see, it’s never a dull moment!  Have a great day.  Choose to make change happen and keep moving!