Race the Sun: Nicks Story

The two Bishopsgate teams from The North & South had a brilliant day on the Isle of Wight. The event exceeded their expectations and they were pleased with the times that they had achieved. With the support of family, friends, work colleagues and customers, they have smashed their target and raised over £5000 for their chosen charity; Action Aid. But the final word must go to Nick whom the team visited in hospital just after the event and before Nick went off to have his heart bypass.

So what’s been your highlight from this event Nick? “This is an easy question to answer. It was when Tim, Patch and Nathan came to visit me in hospital immediately after the event. It may have been a small gesture for them but it meant so much to me and I still felt very much a part of the team”

And the lowlight? The lowest point has to be the realisation that I was not going to make the event. Whilst laying on the operating table having an angiography (still hopeful that I would make the IOW) I asked the surgeon if I would could still make the charity bike ride that was coming up in two weeks to which he replied,” Yes, no problems.” “Great, I thought!” Then he continued to say, “As long as you have a defibulator, 2 nurses, a doctor and an ambulance following you!” At that point I sort of knew that I wouldn’t be going and that my race was over before it had begun.

My lasting memory? It was my and Mandy`s reaction when the A&E doctor first told us that I was not suffering from a bad back but in fact I had just had a heart attack! Our faces must have been priceless. It was very probable that during the Swindon Sportive ride the day before that I had suffered 20 or so angina attacks which I had dismissed as back spasms.

And was it worth the effort in training? The training for me had to be the best part, having a goal which gave me focus. So even though I never actually made the event the training was fun” Nick adds, “One of my biggest goals for recovering from the heart bypass operation will be to get back out on my bike again; only another 10-ish weeks to go! I think Mandy wants me to sell the bike and take up knitting but that’s never going to happen.

My story may be very different to the guys and girls who actually made the event and they will never know just how jealous I am. Not just because of the seemingly disastrous turn my life took but for the fact that they can say, “Yes, we did it!”

Editor Note: Nick has successfully had his operation and we all look forward to welcoming him back soon

If you would like to join us in supporting Action Medical Research, please click on the link www.action.org.uk/sponsor/Bishopsgate. Alternatively, please send a cheque made payable to Action Medical Research to Tim Bloch at Bishopsgate, Interface, Unit A, Technology Drive, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, SN4 8SY