Monday 16 May 2011

The Monday Morning Meltdown

John Maguire submits Jamaine Facey at UCMMA 20
Photo by David Lethaby
Monday mornings are always brutal; that's a given.

This morning I walked down the street to the office past the place I sheltered on Friday night to wait until the rain stopped and it seemed like a lifetime ago.

This weekend was my fourth consecutive mma show on a whistle stop tour that took me across continents and capital cities from Shrewsbury to Stockholm to Cardiff and then to London.

This weekend's Ultimate Challenge was one of the craziest events I think I've ever called in my life and I only hope that this Wednesday's Sky broadcast doesn't make me sound like some kind of rabid animal.

Once again thanks to my broadcast buddies Ian "The Machine" Freeman and Rob Nutley who once again showed why they're both true masters of the craft.

This weekend was my fifth UCMMA show and I thought long and hard about how crazy this whole situation is as I drove back home and Alison slept in the front.

Lethaby and I talked for hours on the drive, much obliged by the way as I'd have probably veered off the road, about the show and so many other things in general.

The drive is about 170 miles and the same thing happens every time I do it.

I get out of London ok and, thanks to the rush from commentating, I'm still wider awake than Sonic the Hedgehog on three cans of Ripper but as I get to the M1, I can feel the energy drain out of my system.

I usually manage to get to Northampton Services before I have a cup of tea and a Ginsters Spicy Chicken Slice and some Monster Munch.

I'll be wide awake for the rest of the M1 but usually start to fade by junction 11 on the M6 but, thanks to a cocktail of open windows and local radio, I'll coast over the line at 3 am and head for bed.

I spend Sunday's trying to recuperate, taking out an all you can eat buffet and then collecting my thoughts for the MMAHQ round up of events.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I always remember Monday's being weak but, when you've spent a weekend at a big show, they seem unbearable.

I've not got an mma show now for a week or so but I can't wait until I'm charging up my sat nav, picking some CDs and getting those crazy butterflies once again and I thank every single one of you for reading this and taking the time to say hello.

Until next we speak
Take care
Ben

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