By Matt Majendie
BBC Sport in Melbourne |
 |  I won't give up until the last of my limbs drops off |
Dean Macey is not your normal athlete. For one, he dreamt about baby monkeys in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games decathlon.
And for another, at his wedding last year he had a table made up entirely of medical staff, having spent more time on hospital wards than on the track in recent years.
But the bionic man of British athletics is back to the fore and will be among the favourites in the men's multi-discipline event, even though he doesn't know what to expect.
"I'm a wreck psychologically, even though I'm told I'm psychologically strong," he told BBC Sport.
"I've only worried when I've had time off and then I've virtually spiralled out of control.
"It's not been affecting my sleep, well unless dreaming of baby monkeys counts. I think psychologists would have a field day with that one - it might have something to do with my pole vaulting. I don't know."
On his day, though, the 28-year-old from Canvey Island, Essex, deems himself one of the world's best.
Macey led for most of the two-day event in Melbourne, dropping to second after the javelin but running a strong 1500m to finish ahead of an admittedly weak field.
But Macey once again struggled with his fitness during the competition, and needed strapping on both his hamstring and elbow.
It was the same story at the Athens Olympics, where an injury-affected Macey bounced back from almost three years out injured to finish fourth, four years after the same result in Sydney
"It was a nightmare between those two events," he admitted, "and there have been plenty of times when I just thought 'stuff it'.
| MACEY'S INJURY HISTORY 1996: stress fracture of shins 1997: hamstring 2000: right elbow surgery 2002: hamstring surgery, missed Commonwealths 2003: Achilles, missed Worlds 2004: hamstring, missed Gotzis meeting |
"In fact, I was purely miserable for two full years but, each time I was about to pack it in, the slightest chink of light at the end of a stupidly long tunnel came up, and that was enough for me.
"And anyone who knows me knows I won't give up until the last of my limbs drops off.
"But it's hard - the injuries have taken me to dark places I never thought existed."
Macey's list of injuries would enlighten any medical student. He has a plate and screws in his foot and has been hit by an array of hamstring, elbow and hip injuries, among others.
But after endless medical advice, Macey - who even jokes the NHS is now opening hospital wards in his name - is clear on the reasons for his never-ending list of niggling injuries.
"I'm the wrong shape," he said. "I've got big feet and gangly limbs - I don't think I was designed to be a decathlete!"
He admits the major reason for him sticking at it even through the darkest times is his family, most notably his wife Lisa.
"They've put up with some crap from me," he revealed, "and Lisa's a saint - my saviour.
"When I'm out I'm horrible. I don't know why but when I'm injured I want to be horrible to everyone and she bears the brunt of it. To be honest, I'm surprised she even turned up on my wedding day - I've given her plenty of reasons to leave.
"But she's perfect. I get back from training, have a rant, finally shut up and she says 'are you done?' and then 'here's your tea and that's that'.
| It's never boring with me |
"On top of that, of course, I tell her I'm a hell of a catch every morning!"
In fact, he says no Commonwealth or even Olympic gold, which remains his long-term goal, can ever compare to his wedding day.
"When you win a major medal it's great but then you go back to your hotel and it's like 'hello medal'. It's just you and your medal and your mates are all back at home getting drunk," he said.
"Marrying Lisa was like winning gold and then having a massive drink with my mates. I wouldn't swap that for anything."
Macey has avoided injury with a change in training approach - he has pushed no more than 80% in practice in a bid to keep fit on the advice of his coach Greg Richards, the "only man I'd trust with my career".
Come Monday, he insists he'll be more ready than any athlete, although still apprehensive.
"I'm a shocker beforehand," he said, "and am regularly sick in the toilets.
"But once I'm called for the heats, I'm angry and raring to go. If I could bottle that I would have retired years ago with my millions.
"And it goes one step further in the 1500m [the final event of the decathlon]. There could be 80,000 fans screaming and shouting but I can't hear a thing, except for my breathing and my feet.
"It's weird and I can't explain it. It's like I zone out until the second I cross the line and everyone comes back. It's a bit scary really."
MMIX
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