This morning I arrived at work to be greeted by news I had spent a week praying wouldn't come to pass.
Tom Scully's crash in last week's RAS Tour in Ireland has ended his cycling year and with it, his hopes of representing his country at the Commonwealth Games in Dehli.
When news filtered through last week of the crash within sight of the finish line of the third stage on the RAS we all felt sick to our stomachs but we knew that if anyone could find a way to come out of a 60km/h crash with a power pole unscathed, it would be someone like Scud.
Unfortunately the luck of the Irish deserted him and this morning's email from his hospital bed in Galway confirmed our worst held fears - his year is done. No Commonwealth Games. Surgery in Ireland, followed by a couple of weeks to stabalise and then what I guess will be an uncomfortable flight home.
His pre-Games campaign which was to take him from Ireland to Belgium, Pennsylvania, Bordeaux and then Dehli ends just three days in.
Now, mere mortals like I would be lying in my hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, in the depths of gloom, wrecked with self-pity. But that's not Tom's style.
I replied to his emailed update to supporters this morning to add to what I'm sure is a long list of well-wishers. Within half an hour he was back to me (I guess he has time on his hands to reply) with, and I quote, "it's a wee set-back." He is really positive and believes something like this "is all part of it eh."
(Note: You can read his full update by clicking here.)
I know it's easy to say things like this, but having known Tom for only a brief time, I know it's more than just talk. It's the reason he's achieved such phenomenal things on a bike in such a short amount of time and quickly become such a key member of Bike NZ's HP programme. He's level-headed and takes things in his stride.
Example two ... he blows up in his World Championship debut in the Points Race in Copenhagen and two nights later he's powering to seventh in the Scratch Race.
It's not how you fall ... it's how you get back up.
He's already talking about getting back on the bike, setting his sights on the end of this year or the start of next for his competitive return.
I'm reminded of the famous quote, "that which does not kill us, only makes us stronger."
Even though right now he struggles to make it down the corridor, I'm sure you'll agree that it won't be long before the Scud is back on target.