A 68-year-old cyclist who fractured 12 bones and suffered a brain bleed in a crash in Spain months after another serious accident in the UK said the experiences made him “rethink his life”. Stephen Moon, from north London, had been riding bikes “since (he) was five years old” and had even taught others to cycle, but was left “baffled and embarrassed” after being involved in two major collisions in 13 months.
The first came during the RideLondon 100, a closed-road cycling event in March 2023, an accident which left him with multiple fractures, a punctured lung and a broken collarbone. The second, in northern Spain in April 2024, saw Stephen hit a bump on a mountain road at high speed and smash into the road surface, leaving him once again with multiple fractures, and with cerebrospinal fluid – the clear, colourless liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord – leaking from his nose.
He has now been inspired to run the New York Marathon in honour of friend and personal hero Sir Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic champion track cyclist. “I could feel warm blood pooling around my head,” he told PA Real Life.
“Something was running from my nose — later I learned it was cerebrospinal fluid. I felt like I was dreaming, but I wasn’t.”
The retired CEO of a sports nutrition business, who had worked 60–70 hours a week since he was 16, said both crashes were a wake-up call. “Life is too short to spend so much time under constant pressure,” he said.
Stephen’s first accident in 2023 happened during the RideLondon 100, when a rider on an e-bike lost control and knocked another cyclist off. The fallen rider landed in front of him and Stephen hit him, leaving him with multiple fractures – 10 rib fractures, three pelvic fractures and two breaks in his collarbone – and a punctured lung, and he had to spend 12 days in intensive care.
“It was like being stabbed from the inside every time I tried to breathe,” he said. “I had tubes inserted to drain fluid from my lungs and was in hospital for weeks.”
Determined to recover, Stephen returned to cycling and resumed his active lifestyle. Within three months, he was back on his bike and travelling abroad to ride.
But in April 2024, in northern Spain, disaster struck again. He was riding downhill on a mountain road when he hit a bump at speed and was thrown violently onto the surface.
“I could feel blood pooling around my head,” he said. “Someone was telling me, ‘Stay with me, bro,’ but I could barely focus.”
Doctors found he had fractured bones in 12 places – his collar bone, eight ribs, and his hand in three places. He had also suffered with a serious brain bleed, and had cerebrospinal fluid leaking from his nose — a gravely serious injury.
“I’ve been riding on two wheels since I was five years old, and I’ve taught people to cycle, so to end up in hospital twice in such a short space of time was both baffling and embarrassing,” he said.
Those back-to-back experiences, he said, were a turning point. Stephen stepped back from full-time work in October 2024 and focused on his health, relationships, and enjoying the present moment.
“After the first accident, I decided I was going to be positive and kind to everyone I met, from the hospital staff to the woman delivering my sandwiches,” he said. “That mindset has stayed with me ever since.”
As part of his rehabilitation, Stephen began running. He started training with a coach who specialises in working with older athletes, running three times a week and adding two strength-training sessions.
“At my age, recovery is just as important as training, your body tells you when it’s ready and when it’s not,” he said. “Some days I can barely make a few kilometres, and others I run my longest distances yet. Sometimes both can happen on the same day.”
Although one of his knees no longer fully straightens, Stephen has learned to work with his body’s limitations. “It’s amazing what you can achieve with persistence,” he said.
He had planned to run the 2024 New York City Marathon, but his injuries forced him to defer. Now, with his fitness restored, he is preparing for the 2025 race in November.
“I’ve survived two major accidents; that makes you tougher than you sometimes feel,” he said. “Yes, I get nervous, anyone would, but I focus on what’s in front of me rather than worrying about the future.”
Stephen is running the New York City Marathon as part of the Tour De 4, a charity challenge founded by Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy to raise funds for cancer research. He first met Sir Chris through work and says their friendship has been a huge source of inspiration.
“They say you should never meet your heroes, but in his case it’s absolutely not true,” he said. “He’s just as genuine and encouraging in person as you’d hope.”
Sir Chris’s stage four cancer diagnosis made the event even more meaningful for Stephen. “Chris has shown incredible courage,” he said. “It’s a reminder that life can change in an instant, and you have to make the most of every day.”
Through his fundraising, Stephen hopes to contribute to cancer research and patient support. “I run for Chris, for my family, and for the reminder that every day is a gift,” he said.
The two crashes, Stephen added, have reinforced a simple truth: “We spend so much time ruminating on the past or worrying about the future, but the present is what matters. Accidents, challenges, and even running a marathon, all of it has taught me to focus, appreciate, and embrace the moment.”
Find Stephen’s fundraiser on GoFundMe.
