Learning to go slow in order to feel effortless while going fast (if that's your goal) will seem counter-intuitive, but it's the way to go.
So many things, @newbieM ...
I was talking to my son about his learning curve vs. mine, and I told him that fear was the biggest thing holding me back from being a better skier. So please take everything I’m going to say with a sense of camaraderie, and not preachiness.
You sound like a kickass woman and an amazing, resilient and strong person.
While you’re on the greens, get rational about the fear. Sure, you could go over the edge, but watch some of the beginners who are in their early 20s careen down. If it was really a risk, the edge of the green slope would be littered with young adult bodies. ;) I know they’re younger, but they’re so much dumber than you. Look at how out of control they are. some idiot who has been on skis twice will tell his girlfriend he’ll teach her and there they go...
Never compare yourself to a kid. For every kid you see zipping around, you don’t see the kids who took one lesson, had a tantrum and refused to return. My son was the former, my daughter the latter. She was 8. We worked out a plan where she would build confidence at HER speed on her terms and it’s working.
Now: She loves “going skiing” ... she hasn’t left the bunny slope, but she’s practicing the things that will give her comfort ... we just give her space to do it. I have gotten a lot better at skating back and forth between the bunny where she is and the bottom of the blue that my son likes. He’s skied for 4 weeks and had a single hour of lesson. The range of comfort is THAT big...one home, one set of genes, one environment. ;)
Are you giving yourself the same compassion you would give one of your children? If new trails freak you out, just ski the same one over and over (even if by yourself) until you’re comfortable. I’ve done this with friends who are better skiers. We just make a date to meet at a time for food/rest/beverages and I LOVE the solitude. As a working mom, there is really no joy like standing on the side of a mountain with your own thoughts.
I’m not our sole provider, but there have been times where it has all fallen to me and it’s been brutal. My husband tore his left Achilles when I was 38 weeks pregnant with kid 2 and had a 34 month old kamikaze toddler boy. We have pics of me in my hospital gown with an IV bag hung on a wheelchair I’m pushing him in as I labored. (I think it’s hilarious, him less so) He tore his right one this year at the end of February when I already knew about the Coronavirus, but before everything had come to a halt. The weight of carrying it all is exhausting. So, here are some good warm thoughts. I hope you find some joy on a mountain on the snow.
@Iwannaski So glad someone thinks just like me
I also get in the habit of beating myself up for not doing things perfectly or not doing things the right way. I was pretty close to feeling this whole sport was not for me because I don't seem to be enjoying it as much and maybe it is just too late to learn. But I am trying to beat down my negative mindset and be more positive about it.
Now, THAT is funnyIf it was really a risk, the edge of the green slope would be littered with young adult bodies. ;)
My boyfriend (now husband) 'taught' me even though he had no idea himself. Looking back, I have no idea how I did it and how little appreciation of the potential danger I had.
@newbieM, welcome to the forum! This is a great place to ask your questions. I have a few for you before saying more...
1. Is part of what you want effortless speed? Are you wanting to go faster than you can now without any accompanying fear and worry? Is this because you are skiing with fast-skiing friends or family members?
2. When you are skiing slow turns, do you feel that effortlessness that you've described? If yes, what kind of run are you on when you experience this effortlessness? If no, what's going on that concerns you when you make slow turns?
3. Can you stay slow while making consistent turns on a blue or blue-green or even green run, from its top to its bottom, without stopping or slowing way down with a hockey-stop or hockey-slow? Or do you gain speed, stop/slow down, then go again, repeating this fast-slow rhythm, while wishing you could stay fast and not worry while doing so?
This last one is an important question. If the answer is nope, can't make consistent turns without gaining speed on certain pitches, then the solution may be easy to describe and all you'll have to do to get comfortable with speed is work on going slow. There's a guaranteed way to stay slow as the pitch goes up, and this skill will give you a way to allow gravity to pull you downhill faster without the skis taking off on you because you'll always be able to slow down without resorting to an abrupt hockey-stop like tactic.
Learning to go slow in order to feel effortless while going fast (if that's your goal) will seem counter-intuitive, but it's the way to go.
I had a mini-breakthrough this year during a group lesson. We were working on stance, and I got more forward on my skis. No quad pain!
If the tiredness in your legs is mainly in your quads, work on getting more forward. It’s amazing!