Winter Wonderland Fitness: Skiing

As I write this, many areas of the country, including the Southeast, are experiencing snow.  Although I am currently in Florida, which is snow free, I couldn't help but think about my past life as a skier. Each winter, for many years, my husband Rich and I would go skiing. Sometimes the two of us went alone, but many times our trips included my daughter, Allison, or other friends.  For a week each year, we spent time in the often frigid weather skiing down mountains.  So how did a Southern raised girl like myself, who had rarely seen much snow, much less walked or skied in it, discover this "out of my comfort zone" activity?

It started shortly after Rich and I started dating.  Rich was raised in the Northeast, but had never done downhill skiing.  I had never skied in my life.  But I had always been fascinated when I watched the ski events at the Winter Olympics.  I thought it looked challenging but totally beautiful.  I would try to imagine how it would feel to ski down a mountain. I certainly never had the nerve to try it - that is, until I met Rich.  He helped to convince me that we should try skiing in North Carolina. (we were living in Atlanta at the time).  We both took lessons at Cattaloochee ski area;  he did great and was happily skiing by the end of the weekend.  I, on the other hand, had failed miserably, and declared more than once that I was not having a good time.  It could have ended there, but I just couldn't let go of the idea that I wanted to successfully ski down a mountain.  Finally, I tried again on my 40th birthday at Beech Mountain, NC.  At the end of the day, I had skied down the beginner mountain.  I did it once, then again and again.  I was skiing!!

From that point on, we took ski trips during the winter, usually in the month of February. Our ski passion took us to resorts all over the Western US, including Colorado, Utah, California, and also to Whistler in Canada.  We skied in Vermont when Allison was living there, and have skied in Oregon since she has been there.  One year we had the awesome experience of skiing in Chamonix, France, a truly breathtaking place. The more I skied, the more confident I became, and  more adventurous.  I would branch out from the green slopes (easiest ones) to try intermediate blue slopes. Since Rich was expert enough to ski the more difficult black runs, we would often ski separately. We would start out together at the top of the mountain;  I would take the easy run down while Rich would do the expert, and we would meet at the bottom.  I would ski with Allison - she was kind enough to be patient with her less competent mother.  Or I might take a lesson and ski with women like myself, whose husbands were skiing more difficult slopes.

It is interesting that Rich and I had totally different styles when it came to our ski experiences.  I would find my favorite slope or two at whatever resort we were visiting, and would ski those same slopes over and over.  I liked to ski that slope until I felt like I did it as fast and as perfectly as I could. Rich, in contrast, was much more willing to take risks and try most of the harder runs on the mountain.  Each of our methods worked for us.  My way seemed boring to my husband, but was wonderful for me.

We were lucky in not injuring ourselves.  However, one year at Lake Tahoe, I decided to try a more difficult slope and tore my ACL.  I recovered very well, but never quite gained back the confidence that I was beginning to have with my skiing.  The last few ski trips had me staying on the green slopes and spending a lot of time at the lodge drinking coffee.  I had fun, but I also worried about the possibility of injury and rehabilitation.  Rich has continued to go skiing with his buddies, but I have given up skiing at this point.  When it snows in February, I can't help but remember how proud I felt when I skied down a slope.  I remember the absolute beauty of the snow covered mountains, the drinks around the fireplace, and the best part - the hot tub at the end of a hard day of skiing!  I don't think I will ski again but you never know - maybe the hot tub will be my motivation to try one more bunny slope- over and over again!