For those of you who aren't familiar, Killington is a beautiful resort nestled in the picturesque Green Mountains of Vermont. It has long been known in skiing circles as one of the premiere ski destinations, and they pride themselves on having the longest season of any ski resort. (Irony of all ironies, it had not snowed yet this season while we were there, so sadly, many of their runs were closed. But we still had an AWESOME time.)
I myself have never skied before in my LIFE, so I knew this was going to be an interesting trip. I was reflecting this morning on some of the things that I managed to pick up while on the mountains, and so I thought I'd share these insights with a broader audience.
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| The not-so-snowy-or-Green Mountains |
Focus Downhill, OR, Lessons I Learned From Skiing
1. Set yourself up with the right equipment.
Almost as soon as we checked into Killington, we sought out the equipment rental shop. (Unfortunately it was closed for the evening when we arrived, but we went FIRST THING the next morning, before we skied.) Before you ever set foot on a mountain, you need to make sure that you're set up with the right equipment. If your boots are ill-fitting, or your poles are too long or too short, or your skis are too long, you will find the journey ahead VERY difficult.
In skiing, as in life, preparation is everything. You have to have the right tools to help you out before you can start the work ahead.
2. Read the slope before you slide down it.
Like I said, I had never skied before we went on this trip. I've skated before - inline roller blades and ice skating - and knew that the basics would apply, but only marginally. So, wisely, my parents signed me (and themselves) up for ski lessons on our first day. It's not impossible to ski without lessons, but it is very difficult.
Keith was our intrepid instructor, and one of his very first lessons to us was how to put on skis. Apparently, you have to read the slope that you're on when you are laying your skis down, and place them perpendicular to the slope. Otherwise, your skis will quickly slide away from you, and you'll look like an idiot chasing your skis downhill. (Plus, it's VERY difficult to run in ski boots.)
This makes sense if you think about it - you need to read your surroundings before you jump in. You need to learn which way is downhill (and which way is up) before you endeavor to ski on your merry way. In skiing, as in life, awareness of your surroundings is critical.
3. Focus downhill.
This is probably my favorite lesson I picked up on our ski trip. As Keith was teaching us the basics on our first day, he made sure to emphasize the goal of keeping your torso and head pointed down the hill at all times. If you look at your feet too much, or focus too short-sightedly at the slope just ahead of you, you can lose direction and momentum. You could also run over someone - the corollary to this lesson, as my brother sagely stated, is, "Pay attention to the skiers in front of you. Ignore the skiers behind you."
In skiing, as in life, it can be unhealthy for you to focus too much on the short-term, or the past. In order to be truly successful, you've GOT to think about the future. Even though it's tempting to focus on the here-and-now, ultimately, thinking about what's ahead will better guide your current steps. You don't have to think ALL the way to the end, but focusing on something further in front of you will make your path more smooth.
4. Don't be afraid to take risks.
On the first day, my parents and I stuck to the bunny slope in order to work on our basic skiing skills. The next day, though, it was important to me to branch out, to challenge myself. My dad and I spent half the morning skiing on the one green run that was open, and then the rest of the morning my dad, brother, and I took on a blue run. In retrospect, I was NOT READY FOR A BLUE (see the next lesson learned), but I'm glad that I tried it.
In skiing, as in life, it's important to take risks. I'm glad I tested my boundaries, and I'm glad I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone. It was terrifying, but I survived it, and feel more accomplished for having done it (even if I failed miserably). Which brings me to...
5. Everybody has to start (and fail) somewhere.
I was not. ready. for. a. blue. run.
I fell on ice, and slid away from my skis, and my brother had to drag me back to the snow.
I fell in the middle of the run, and had to drag myself over to the side of the slope so I didn't get run over by the MUCH more experienced skiers and boarders.
I fell on flat parts of the run.
I fell on steep parts of the run.
I fell at least a dozen times, and because I have very little upper body strength, I had to take off my skis EVERY TIME I FELL, and put them back on again. I was exhausted.
At times, I gave up, and walked down part of the slope. I was absolutely terrified. I had an emotional breakdown at one point, and my poor, sainted father had to quite literally talk me down.
In skiing, as in life, failure is inevitable. But you have to start somewhere. You have to learn your limits, and accept them, and then pick yourself up and try again. You have to acknowledge the fear when it comes, and then let it go to move on. You have to know when to try something, and when to ask for help. And, you have to be thankful for the people who are helping you on the journey (bless my dad and brother. A run that would have taken them 30 minutes took the three of us an hour and a half, and they stuck with me the whole way).
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Ultimately, we had a great time skiing. Even though it wasn't easy, it was such a fun and adventurous experience to wrap up 2015 and begin 2016. I'm so thankful that my family went on this journey together, and spent a happy Christmas in Vermont (even without snow!).
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