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For those who started skiing later in life.....

Mistletoes

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
1) What made you start skiing? At what age?
I started skiing at age 52. I had previously skied a handful of times, but never made it out of a wedge and it has been many years since my last trip.

I started REALLY skiing during my darkest hour...my 16 year old son had just passed away, due to a massive seizure. I was pretty paralyzed with deep grief...I don't remember much back then, but getting out of bed in the morning was a challenge. I would sit in front of a window for hours during the day and this went on for a couple of months.

I was staying with the man I was dating, (we had only been dating for 6 months). He is a long time, advanced skier. He was planning a 2 day trip and encouraged me to go with him. At first I resisted, thinking it would be too difficult and frivolous, but finally agreed to go. When I got off the lift, I was a bit fearful, but when I began my descent down the hill, my mind was so focused on the skiing that the grief let me go...for just a few hours I thought about nothing except making it down the hill. Skiing was a much needed respite, and in many ways, helped me on my healing journey...it still does this for me...frees my mind...and gives me great joy!

2) Why didn't you start skiing earlier?
I was a single mom with 2 kids...one severely disabled. There simply wasn't the time or money...

3) What's been the biggest obstacle (if there is one) to your skiing?
I think my age and fear...I'm certainly not as athletic as when I was younger...not as much stamina either.

4)What's been the hardest thing for you?
Skiing does not come naturally for me...it's been challenging to learn, for sure. I also fight with some fear factor...part of that is my SO and his whole family are amazing skiers and it's difficult to keep up with them...they sometimes take me to terrain I am not fully prepared for...a lot of times, I don't try and go off by myself...which can be pure bliss!

5) What's helped you the most?
Skiing with SO and his family...they have taught me alot, and they are always encouraging me, gently giving me little tips here and there.

6) What's been the biggest surprise to you?
How much I love to ski and how much I've improved! I'm also surprised at how exhilarating a challenge on the slope can be...pushing myself to do things I thought I wasn't capable of doing.

7) How have your friends and/or family reacted to your skiing?
Most of my friends do not ski, and they think I am somewhat crazy to do so...especially after my fall in December where I sustained a concussion, chest contusion and 2 spinal fractures...they ask "You are going to quit skiing, right?" I looked at them with a puzzled expression and reply NO. I've been out a few times lately and despite a couple of PTSD moments, it's been so wonderful. My 78 year old mom is a beautiful skier and she is very supportive!

8) What are your skiing goals? And what do you see in your future as a skier?
I will never be a great skier, and that is ok...I am 60 years old now and it is my wish to ski as long as I can...I see myself skiing into my 80s.

Side: I wasn't planning to stay long term with my SO after my son passed away...but 8 years later, I'm still here at the house with him.
This is a beautiful and deeply personal account.
That is a brave act to take and I love how you describe the grief letting you go.
Thank you for sharing your story.
 

Powgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thank you, @newboots

Maybe this is the big takeaway...the challenge of it all for us late bloomers...maybe it gives us an unrivaled confidence...a different perspective of what we know to be our aging bodies...that perhaps we are indeed strong and spirited!

Just to clarify...skiing did not 'cure' my grief...I still have and will always carry it inside...my son passed away in December and winter feels especially tough...skiing gives my brain a break from all the heavy stuff...
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Of course; I can't imagine that grief would ever leave, but how wonderful that skiing will sometimes give you respite.

I'm so glad you have skiing. And I'm so glad that I have skiing, too! And the rest of us, as well.
 

HikenSki

Angel Diva
I'm so glad you have skiing. And I'm so glad that I have skiing, too! And the rest of us, as well.

Same here. Skiing is the one activity that truly allows me to decompress, to put aside my worries. I can't think about anything else when I'm skiing, just the task at hand to get down the hill. The views and crisp winter air help too. I can daydream when running, hiking, etc, but not with skiing. Only other close activity is trail running. You'll fall flat on your face if you're not paying attention. I may be physically exhausted at the end of the day, but mentally I feel refreshed. I'm fortunate to have this opportunity and means to afford this sport and look forward to the day of sharing this activity with my children.
 

EdithP

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have only now found this question, read the fascinating accounts of how other late bloomers found their way to the hills and and wish to add my two cents. I can see I am in such a good company here!


) What made you start skiing? At what age?
I actually tried many times from age 15, but things have never started until I was 58 (am now 66) . The decisive factor came when an expert skier cousin suddenly suggested that I join his family's ski trip to Slovakia and take a few lessons. My knee jerk reaction was, as on many occasions before, "oh, not this year", and then I heard this voice in my head: "This is probably the last chance - there may never be another". So I bit the bullet and went along.

2) Why didn't you start skiing earlier?
Everything conspired against: prohibitive cost of equipment in my then Communist country, long distance from the mountains, no accomodation available unless one had friends/family in a hilly neighbourhood, several discouraging attempts that reinforced my fear that I am probably not made for the sport, and later on, when many of those issues finally were resolved, my general apprehension of possibly encountering disappointment and humiliation. Even life's events, when I determined to make another effort: my husband's accident, illness and death in the close family, etc. As was said before, it is hard to break into skiing as an adult.

3) What's been the biggest obstacle (if there is one) to your skiing?
The biggest obstacle was arthretic hip which impeded my first efforts. It was operated on in 2019, necessitating a year's break. When it was over, I moved straight into Covid lockdowns, meaning a long stretch of time without practise. So, even if I nominally learned rudiments in 2014, and then skied some every year, in 2021 I started over from the scratch.

4)What's been the hardest thing for you?
The hardest thing has been confronting my insecurities and fears about having some innate, disqualifying inadequacies. When very slow progress seemed to justify those fears, the resulting frustration was at times unbearable.

5) What's helped you the most?
Three things. First: along the way I met a wonderful bunch of skiers making alpine trips every year and was invited to tag along. Those were unforgettable, wonderful events, even if I was barely able to cope. That knocked me out of my comfort zone even more and gave me a very strong motivation to keep taking lessons and improve. The second and even more important thing was finding an all year round ski school in my city. It is not on snow but on a rolling carpet, but I am finally able to learn and practise all I can. I have finally encountered excellent ski instructors who help me shake off many very bad habits acquired in earlier years (some acquired from not very competent teachers, sadly) . And finally reading ski forums and asking questions there (which includes The Ski Diva, incidentally :smile: )

6) What's been the biggest surprise to you?
The biggest surprise was when I realised I was actually coping with the challenge of the Alps. And then, when I finally started to improve after a very long time of patient plodding on the carpet. It is still a long way even to a solid intermediate skiing, but I am beginning to feel confident I will get there. Given my habitual self deprecation this is astonishing.
In a more technical sense, the biggest epiphany was discovering that skiing is about small, subtle actions which produce big effects. My earlier beliefs had been that it is all about aggressive, sudden, staccato movements.


7) How have your friends and/or family reacted to your skiing?
Family actually went along. My daughter started to learn skiing at the same time as myself, my husband - who, alas, had suffered a bad accident years ago and can never ski again - is as supportive as could be, driving to my lessons with me and videoing every one for future analysis, and will join me on the nearest Alpine expedition even as a non-skier. As to friends, some of my best friends nowadays are the skiing group I met along the way. I cannot say , unfortunately, that I managed to persuade any of my non-skiing friends to follow my example. I keep trying - it would be even more fun. But they are all cheering me on.

8) What are your skiing goals? And what do you see in your future as a skier?

What can I say? I try never to question that I still have many years of skiing ahead. More immediate goal is what my teacher has mapped out for me: learning rrtrx. And , my personal wish: being able to ski red trails comfortably. Reds. Not thinking about blacks, but, I may yet surprise myself in a year or two. :smile:






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EdithP

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
1) What made you start skiing? At what age?
I started skiing at age 52. I had previously skied a handful of times, but never made it out of a wedge and it had been many years since my last trip.

I started REALLY skiing during my darkest hour...my 16 year old son had just passed away, due to a massive seizure. I was pretty paralyzed with deep grief...I don't remember much back then, but getting out of bed in the morning was a challenge. I would sit in front of a window for hours during the day and this went on for a couple of months.

I was staying with the man I was dating, (we had only been dating for 6 months). He is a long time, advanced skier. He was planning a 2 day trip and encouraged me to go with him. At first I resisted, thinking it would be too difficult and frivolous, but finally agreed to go. When I got off the lift, I was a bit fearful, but when I began my descent down the hill, my mind was so focused on the skiing that the grief let me go...for just a few hours I thought about nothing except making it down the hill. Skiing was a much needed respite, and in many ways, helped me on my healing journey...it still does this for me...frees my mind...and gives me great joy!

2) Why didn't you start skiing earlier?
I was a single mom with 2 kids...one severely disabled. There simply wasn't the time or money...

3) What's been the biggest obstacle (if there is one) to your skiing?
I think my age and fear...I'm certainly not as athletic as when I was younger...not as much stamina either.

4)What's been the hardest thing for you?
Skiing does not come naturally for me...it's been challenging to learn, for sure. I also fight with some fear factor...part of that is my SO and his whole family are amazing skiers and it's difficult to keep up with them...they sometimes take me to terrain I am not fully prepared for...a lot of times, I don't try and go off by myself...which can be pure bliss!

5) What's helped you the most?
Skiing with SO and his family...they have taught me so much and they are always encouraging me, gently giving me little tips here and there.

6) What's been the biggest surprise to you?
How much I love to ski and how much I've improved! I'm also surprised at how exhilarating a challenge on the slope can be...pushing myself to do things I thought I wasn't capable of doing.

7) How have your friends and/or family reacted to your skiing?
Most of my friends do not ski, and they think I am somewhat crazy to do so...especially after my fall in December where I sustained a concussion, chest contusion and 2 spinal fractures...they ask "You are going to quit skiing, right?" I look at them with a puzzled expression and reply NO. I've been out a few times lately and despite a couple of PTSD moments, it's been so wonderful. My 78 year old mom is a beautiful skier and she is very supportive!

8) What are your skiing goals? And what do you see in your future as a skier?
I will never be a great skier, and that is ok...I am 60 years old now and it is my wish to ski as long as I can...I see myself skiing into my 80s.

Side: I wasn't planning to stay long term with my SO after my son passed away...but 8 years later, I'm still here at the house with him.
Oh dear. I have only now been able to read this. My hat goes off to you. How extremely brave of you to share such an intimate story. I am so glad that you have found some way to cope with what must have been an excruciating experience in such a positive step. And that you had that person with you who could give you what you needed the most.
 

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