Popular triathlete Mandy Draper is on the way to recovery after a horrific accident left her brutally injured.

Mandy, 51, was cycling home from work on October 20 when she was knocked off her bike in Hundleton.

“Lucky for me, it happened really quickly and all I can remember is a car coming towards me and then being woken up by my sister Jeanie in the ambulance, being airlifted to Morriston Hospital and after a week or so, ending up on a life support machine for a couple of days,” said Mandy, a member of the Tenby Aces.

She sustained a catalogue of horrendous injuries and is only here today, doctors say, because of her ‘super fitness.’

“All my ribs were broken, my back was broken, but is now fixed, I broke my left arm (the one I write with), punctured a lung, which is now fixed, had two blood clots in my heart and on my lungs, the worst the surgeon has ever seen, but also now fixed, while the handle bars went through my left leg, just missing a main artery,” Mandy explained.

“My bike is a bit battered, but in better shape than me, my Garmin is miraculously still working, but has a cracked face and I lost a few hundred pounds worth of cycling clothes and gear, plus my Ironman helmet, but that is only money and can be replaced.”

Mandy has an heroic CV to her name and is already talking about her road to recovery.

“This journey I’m going through now is probably and has already proved to be the biggest marathon I have ever tackled,” continued Mandy. “It’s going to take time, tears and a great deal of patience to get to that finishing line, but I have so many amazing people to help me and so much to look forward to.”

Mandy’s successfully completed 60 marathons and is working towards her 100th. Her first was in Llanelli in 2012 in memory of her mum. Since then she’s completed London, which she did in 2015 because she got a good for age place of three hours 45 minutes in Liverpool’s Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon the year before, Barcelona and Malta, which Mandy usually does every year as her mum’s ashes are there. She was also fortunate to do the Reggae marathon in Jamaica last December - reggae being my favourite music!

For her 50th birthday last year, Mandy celebrated by doing Ironman Wales having learnt to swim only 18 months previously and started cycling seriously in 2010.

“In 2010, I did my first Sportive - 82 miles Tour of Pembrokeshire. Despite howling gales and torrential rain, I thoroughly enjoyed it and finished in the silver category,” explained Mandy.

“Throughout 2010, I carried on cycling to and from work and joined a small group of cyclists and went to spin classes here and there to keep the legs ticking over. In 2011, the cycling continued as I signed up for the Tour of Pembrokeshire again, but this time the 100-miler.

“Unfortunately, in March of that year my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. It wasn’t long before myself, my sister and by brother were all taking turns staying with her and looking after her and I would stay up there for a week at a time. I took my bike and I was getting out and doing 70 miles most days. After a few visits, the bike was beginning to become a bit of a nuisance. Mum only lived in a one bed cottage, so there wasn’t much room really, so I decided to take up running and I had a friend who I was going to circuit classes with decided to join me. We both hated it at first, felt like I was smoking 60 a day!

“I slowly built up the miles, but unfortunately mum got worse and I lost her, but running helped me cope. I whispered to my mum before she went, ‘I will do London marathon next year’, but didn’t realise you had to apply via ballot which closes within hours!” added Mandy, who is also writing an inspirational book on her road to recovery.

“I’m a bit excited because I don’t know which way it’s going to go, but I’m just happy to be a walking miracle right now.”

Mandy had been training for the Hobart Marathon in January which she had planned to run while visiting her son, but although that’s now on hold, Mandy has her sights on getting back training.

“The goal at the moment is to rebuild the strength in my lower limbs and regain co-ordination (I didn’t have any co-ordination in the first place, so how I can do this I will never know!). I cannot do any weightlifting or any core work or any twisting of the trunk whatsoever because of screws in back, so it will take some time to rebuild strength in my core and upper body,” explained Mandy.

“What I can do at the moment is eat a healthy diet, which I am doing with the help of family and friends. I am having fresh fruit smoothies and protein shakes to help repair my muscles. I am back on my paleo diet the best I can considering I am in hospital. I also have to make sure, although I’ve lost nearly a stone, not to gain too much weight, as I’m not moving around as I was before.

“The doctors have said that I may not run another full marathon again because of the pounding in my back. I don’t care how long it takes, but I intend to prove them wrong. They have also said they are not sure if the damage to the heart and lungs is permanent, only time will tell. I know it’s going to be a slow process, but I will get there and I will reach my goal of 100 marathons and beyond!”

Mandy has been quick to pay tribute to everyone who is helping her.

“I would like to thank Megan who was first on the scene, yelling to her parents to call 999 and then her parents for assisting until the ambulance arrived, keeping me conscious. I also did my bit by landing in recovery position.

“Thank you to the ambulance crew and my lovely sister for their help until the Wales Air Ambulance arrived, who I cannot thank enough for a safe journey to Morriston Hospital.

“The numerous surgeons who put me back together and all the staff in Morriston Hospital. I would also like to thank my beautiful daughter Gemma for being by my bedside, my father and his wife, my family for travelling all the way from the Midlands, Hull and Wiltshire to help me out of my coma.

“Also special thanks to fantastic work colleagues for arranging to give my family lifts to and from hospital. Andy and Sandra, my extended family for being here as often as they can, Nathan and Nicola Edwards and children my other extended family for being here and messaging me every day, making sure I had everything and last, but not least, my beautiful triathlete friend Andy whom I met last year whilst doing Fishguard Ocean Lava. He works in Morriston, is also part of Wales Air Ambulance and he has popped his head around two-three times a day when he’s been here.”

For Mandy, 2017 looks like a year of recovery and supporting others.

“My first trip is Lanzarote in May for a week to support my good friends Nathan and Andy in Ironman. It will be Nathan’s first one and I really can’t wait! I have entered a few marathons already next year, so I will see if I can defer them until 2018, which I think will be the year I can seriously focus on moving again towards my 100 and maybe a few sprint tris along the way.”