DAY 2

Well the day finally came today, the day that confirmed what many of my so called 'friends' had been telling me for years, that I am an old git. It is worth bearing in mind however, that many of these expert advisors such as Nick Iddon, chief 'old gitter' have a less than tenuous association with physical exercise. In fact their idea of active recreation, is a walk to the pub, just down the road, and the lifting of a few pints. However I digress.

For about a year now I have been feeling an acute pain in my right knee, especially when ascending stairs which I do each weekday whilst carrying my bike. And it's been getting worse.This pain does not stop me cycling and indeed if it did I would have done something about it by now. BUT...skiing was coming ever closer and I wondered, more and more often, if I would be able to cruise the multitude of slopes here at Schladming, without feeling the annoying ache. I was not keen to visit the physio when all I was going to hear was 'wear and tear' which I am sure it is.

Marvelous that isn't it? You either sit in the armchair doing nothing for years and drinking beer etc, or you make sure that you exercise for at least the advised hour each day. As you know, cycling is my favourite and I have been doing that since I gave up football 15 years ago. I cycle to and from work, a distance of 12 miles and when I am not working, I get up at the same time and put in an hour's worth of peddling before breakfast. But this it seems, like doing nothing, takes a toll on the body. My knee prior to this week was really becoming annoyingly painful.

So this morning, before skiing I applied the knee support brace. As I did so, I kept telling myself how much better a day I was going to have knowing that my knee would be supported and therefore protected. But I couldn't help feeling that it was the beginning of the end. And what, I hear you ask, effect did it have on the day's skiing? Well despite skiing on almost total artificial snow which in these temperatures is lumpy, bumpy and horrible, I had a great day and as I type with the sun setting on the mountains and Spurs v Man U due any minute on TV, I feel that warm glow inside that a day's strenuous exercise and a hot shower gives you, and yes I feel I have earned the beer that is slipping down very nicely thank you.