GETTING OVER A CRASH

It might only take a few laps, but sometimes it can take a few months before confidence is fully restored. But broken bones aside, it’s all in the mind and you will overcome this loss of confidence. This is how…

We cannot forget the risks involved in thrashing superbikes as fast as we feel possible, going over the same patch of Tarmac lap after lap and pushing the boundaries of grip, lean angle and top speed. Much of the attraction in this sport is that element of danger: your heart is racing before you even sit on the bike and that kind of rush just can’t be found anywhere else, so expect it to bite

back now and again, regardless of what lap times you’re capable of. As far as crashing goes, I’m advising from my own experience which has worked for me – presuming you’ve got no major injuries and are just a bit beaten up. (Small print: seek medical advice in the first instance and follow up with a professional sports injury/physio appointment… it will help!) So, how do you get over a crash?

Understand why you crashed

There’s always a reason why you ended up on your arse and it’s a good idea to figure out what you did, or what went wrong so that you can move on. As an example, if you lost the front end, did you carry too much lean angle, trail too much front brake pressure or were your tyres possibly too cold? If it was another rider’s fault, compose yourself, say your piece calmly and remember that nobody takes another rider out on purpose – you could do the same one day. Anyway, figure out a satisfactory answer, it allows you to move on.

Go over the incident in your head, eventually it will seem insignificant

I always go over my crashes now.

In the early days I’d try to avoid the memory, but over time I realised that your subconscious won’t let you forget. Constantly reviewing a spectacular crash helped me get back in the seat without any drop in pace; it was like squaring up to a fear or a bully and just beating it down to nothing. The more times you run through the whole incident in your mind, the faster you will get over it.

You should be clear in your mind before getting back on track

Following the above tips should mean you’re completely clear in your mind and you’ll have no problem getting on the bike again. I would avoid taking your time to build up speed though; you should get straight out and first of all push your braking markers (straight line stuff is easiest). That will get your head up to speed and feeling sharp, then just keep focusing on your points of reference for turning, apex, exit, and the adrenaline should numb any doubt and pain.

Riding with injuries

Some injuries can prevent you from riding to your full potential, so even if you’re mentally ready to ride, certain weaknesses can hold you back. However, there’s always a way to get out riding and salvaging valuable championship points or just ensuring you don’t miss out on that No Limits Euro event! Just be smart. For example, if you’re riding with an injured arm, then think about having extra grips on the fuel tank so that you can squeeze with your legs under heavy braking. You should also try using just one arm for counter steering, rather than turning with both arms. If it’s a leg or foot injury, then you will have to ride quite conservatively, using the strongest leg to support you on the bike when cornering and maximising use of your arms. An example of this would be if your left leg is weak and you’re approaching a left-hand corner, start to slide your backside to the left while braking and use the inside of your right leg and knee to hang your weight off the bike while in the turn, then counter steer to stand the bike up and slide back into the middle of the seat.

Food, physio, exercise and oxygen

Your body is like your engine, fill it with cheap oil and fuel and you’ll get poor performance. It doesn’t matter if you’re riding for fun, but carrying an injury means you’re generally doing less physical activity anyway and your body will be craving feel-good junk food, which you have to fight. Eat natural, whole foods, drink plenty of water and maybe look into Glucosamine tablets and other healthy supplements your body might need for recovery. Physiotherapy, specific strength exercises and keeping mobile (not sulking on the couch watching daytime TV) are key to speeding up your healing process. Keeping your heart pumping is also important for another reason, as it carries much needed oxygen through your bloodstream and it’s the oxygen that heals your damaged tissue. Boost oxygen or a hyperbaric chamber is good here for aiding recovery and tissue repair. Over a period of weeks this treatment will speed up the healing process. You can find hyperbaric chambers across the UK and Ireland, with one at every MS Centre in the UK, all of which have experience in treating elite athletes from football, rugby, cycling and motorcycle racing. My brother James Ellison is the only rider to break his femur, return to British Championship Racing and win in that same year, not once, but twice, after what could’ve been a career-ending injury. You will still see James breathing in his boost oxygen before, during and after his sessions.