Learning to ski has been an exhilirating and frustrating exercise in patience and discipline. I want to be a great skier NOW! but to get there I have to force myself to always push beyond my comfort zone and work hard on on my technique despite my default sloppy cheating ways down stuff that seems too hard. Each new season (this being my fourth I think) brings a combination of excitement, because it's fun to ski, and anxiety, because I know I will repeatedly force myself into uncomfortable situations where I am a little fearful (though realistically even if I fall it will just be a tiring effort to get my skis back on and get back upright). I often wonder why I force myself to do this -- but then I find myself finally putting it all together and making turns down something fairly steep but feeling in control, doing it more or less correctly and realizing that I am actually "skiing" (if slowly and imperfectly), not traversing or side-slipping, down "expert" terrain.* There is something deeply satisfying about making forward progress in an area that is viscerally the oil to my water -- and somehow having fun along the way.
But then I go out the next day and suck again. It's progress nonetheless if incredibly frustrating.
*There may also be new skis involved that are quite easy to ski
8 comments:
Feel the same way about mountain biking.
Just keep on trying! I was a sucky skier for many years. Lots of lessons and time on the snow has turned me into someone who will now tackle the black diamond runs. You will get there too!
I can't imagine that skiing is easy to get good at, you can't keep working on it all year long.
I don't do it often but I'm going to pull out my cancer card here: You are so lucky that you are allowed to ski at all. Who cares if you are really bad at it?
My impression of skiing — easy to learn, but tougher to progress beyond a beginner level. Snowboarding — tough to learn, but once you do, you can quickly make improvements. I've talked to a few people and I'm not the only one who feels this way. Not that I've done that much skiing. BUT ... if you enjoy the big fat skis you might really enjoy boarding. It is a more complicated tool for backcountry use, this is true. But man, fresh powder is effortless on a board. I still remember the amazing feeling of carving waist-deep powder through the trees. Ah, to be young, limber, and not yet aware of how clumsy I really am. Those were the days.
It's funny, because I read this post and thought "that's me an trail running!" ... without the frequent death-defying situations, of course. There is something satisfying about stubbornly pursuing a skill that doesn't come naturally, until you force yourself into small improvements.
Thanks for the encouragement - I will keep on keeping on with moderate patience.
You are absolutely right <3
I think you're right. We need to set a date for your visit!
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