How long before it is fun?
This seems like a great forum for women skiers - I'm glad I found it!
I'm a (very) beginning skier. Back in January, I enrolled in a "ski week" at the local resort (I live 15 minutes away - just moved here last summer). I'd never skied before in my life and I'm now in my late 30's. It was about 20 hours worth of instruction. The first two days were in a group of about 4 women, however, I felt that the instructor was moving the group faster than my comfort level, so, I hooked up with a different instructor for the remainder of the week, and basically had private lessons. At the end of the week, I was reasonably confident getting down the "bunny hill" (supposedly the steepest in the US).
I would still have moments of panic and terror when my ski got caught in a lip of snow and caused me to wobble or not be able to turn as I intended, and I would lose my rhythm of linking turns, catch too much speed for my comfort, and end up snowplowing the remainder of the way. Nevertheless, I never really fell, or plowed into anyone, and was usually able to stop where I intended. At times, (sometimes I had to talk myself into feeling this), I even felt a measure of control and that this activity *could* be fun if only I could be confident enough in my skills to relax and enjoy it.
Since the lessons, I've gone back and practiced on the bunny slope about 4 or 5 times, and yesterday, tried the "easiest" green run for the first time. An instructor who had seen us ski (I was practicing with a friend who is also a beginner) had said he thought were were a "day past ready" for the green run, so, I was fairly confident that I could do it.
Boy was I wrong! It was awful, I couldn't force myself down the steep hills, basically, forgot how to ski! The steepness of the hills terrified me, as did the fact that I couldn't see around the turns to know what was coming and had no idea how long the run lasted so I could prepare my next move. I spent 30 minutes "psyching" myself up to do it, then, immediately fell (luckily, it wasn't even a steep or scary place to fall), and then had no confidence and decided to walk down at least until I could find a mellower catwalk that didn't freak me out - which I did and I ended up skiing down part way, once I was past the part with the steep hills. My very expert skiing boyfriend had long left me by this point (I sent him away) - it took him 15 minutes to ski down what took me 2 hours.
I thought maybe I'd never go back - that I just wasn't cut out ski since I don't particularly like going fast downhill (have always been reluctant to try mountain biking for the same reason), but, I don't want to give up. I've invested a fair amount of time and money already in this endeavor, it would be a nice shared activity for my boyfriend and I, I live 15 minutes away from a great ski resort and that is what friends and family want to do when they come to visit and I don't want to be left out.
Today, I am thinking that perhaps I will sign up again for another private lesson or two, with the focus on strategies to get down the green run and overcome my fear of hurling myself down steep hills covered in snow and ice on boards (skis) designed to pick up speed, since walking down is not something I want to do again. Doing the bunny slope over and over is only teaching me to be really good at doing the bunny slope, and not a green run, it's clear I need to go back up there and attempt it again, though nothing has changed to make me think I'm going to be any happier doing it a second time.
I am interesting in knowing if anyone has started off from a similar place but gone on to learn to love skiing - or at least enjoy it and be confident. It seems like lots of different people from all walks of life learn to ski and have so much fun doing it. I am envious as I watch other skiers float by effortlessly, seeming unconcerned with tackling the next turn or steep hill, or avoiding the drop off on the side. I fear that much of my "inability" to ski is actually psychological and wonder how that can be overcome, or it it can. If it can, how? It would great to hear any inspirational stories from folks who have felt this way but gone on to overcome it.
Thank you for any thoughts or suggestions!