I had this all ready to post last Thursday but had trouble with the internet connection at our hotel Thursday night in Maine and forgot about it in the heat of Race preparation!  Fortunately it is a timeless post and it’s impact is not effected by a weeks delay.  It is snowing hard in Burlington… again.  We are going to go out and explore some new groomed trails in town today and we are off to Jackson tomorrow.

From Mary:

One night at dinner over Christmas break my family had a conversation about what it is we enjoy so much about racing. The sense of community among ski racers and getting out in nature were both high on the list, but there’s a certain magic about the actual time you spend during a race that we each attempted to describe. I think most of us in today’s culture are too often guilty of multi-tasking, and racing allows us to focus our attention on only one goal, whether it be for three minutes or three hours. We all agreed that we had our best races when we could let go of thought and just embrace the joy of really letting loose. As I explained once to a friend who meditates for three hours each morning, racing can be a skier’s “on-snow meditation.”

Here’s a short poem that this conversation inspired:

The On-snow Meditation

On the far side of a wand

Firm double tracks call out an invitation to travel

On a path of speed and freedom.

With a 3 – 2 – 1 – Go!

All doubts and fears vanish

As my poles push thoughts away.

A hill summons me to a joyful battle

As I gasp in the air of the present,

Racing away from the past,

With a future only as far as the finish line.