The old saying “spanner in the works” or “throw a spanner in the works” is a British idiom which means “to cause a problem or disruption that prevents a plan or process from working smoothly.” Lately, it would seem I have a bag full of spanners. Since I decided to apply to ride The Tour 21 in 2026, spanners keep getting in the way. However, I see these as challenges that add to the adventure rather than reasons to feel negative or down. Adventures have lots of ups and downs that add to the story and the memories made along the way.
Spanner #1 came literally days after I got accepted into the 2026 Tour 21 team. A simple and almost stationary fall off “Hagrid” (my Giant-branded road bike) resulted in a broken pelvis. That meant six weeks of no cycling. It was, to say the least, frustrating to start training for the biggest ride of my life on a walking frame. However, I healed well and fortunately didn’t need any surgery.
I hired a strength coach, Emma O’Toole, and a cycling coach, Peter Georgi, and the training got serious. It was a bit of a shock to realize how much work lay ahead of me to improve my overall strength and fitness, but you have to start somewhere, and I was definitely starting at the base of Alpe d’Huez.
Spanner #2 popped up during one of my first 3-hour road rides, when my long, arthritic right shoulder decided to rear its ugly head. I was told WAY back in 2017 that a shoulder replacement was in my future. Luckily, I managed to put that off with a couple of cortisone injections before my ride across America, some back-and-shoulder exercises that let me play golf essentially pain-free, and by making sure I didn’t reach too high. Occasionally, I could hear some creaking, but I was intent on delaying surgery as long as possible. Now that I am cycling a lot, I increasingly find myself resting my right shoulder by riding one-handed. Though this worked, I knew it wouldn’t be possible to do during The Tour 21, when I’ll be riding in a peloton or tackling long climbs and descents. I also cannot use aero bars during the Tour 21, which I’ve relied on over the last few years for longer endurance rides.
So, it was back to visit my orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Diaz, whom I first saw in 2017. The funny thing is that she was shocked; I had not yet had my shoulder replaced! Needless to say, it’s gotten a lot worse since I last saw her, but she worked her magic with a cortisone shot! Since that shot, I have ridden over 1,500 miles pain-free. It’s great to have Dr. Diaz in my corner. She’s all in on me, not only making it to the start line in Barcelona but also getting to the finish line in Paris!
Spanner #3 appeared when, after a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends where I ate anything I wanted and enjoyed every moment of it, I picked up a chest infection. I haven’t had a single cold or chest infection since I started bi-monthly iVIG infusions back in mid-2024 (thanks to Takeda Pharmaceuticals for their excellent therapy), but this has been a rotten one. It knocked me for a loop and, more importantly, off the bike for a week. I’m back cycling now, but still suffering a bit!
Oh well, it’s all just life. I am sure these things will ultimately make me stronger and even more determined than ever to reach Paris, fit and healthy. I am not sure what else my “bag of spanners” holds, but let’s hope not much.