My worst ski day ever!

[Quiver Queen]

Today was the first official day of the first official Ski Diva trip, and I was so looking forward to it. The conditions were stellar…….my skiing was not.

I don't know what was going on—a month ago I felt like I could ski anything, ski it with confidence, and actually ski it fairly well, but today I skied like a novice. Terrain and conditions which I normally would master, completely threw me for a loop. I was stiff, I was tentative, my hands were out of position, my weight was back, and confidence didn't exist. In the past I've had the occasional 'off' day, but this was completely different—I could not ski today.

Why? Was it lack of sleep for the last week, the heavy non-skiing stuff I've got on my mind right now, even hormones? It was obviously a mental thing, but where was my mind? Then, of course, beating myself up didn't help, just got me more upset. And we all can assume there's something seriously wrong when you're sobbing on the lift.

So mid-morning I took a break and talked it over with my Sweetie, then simply got back to basics. The rest of the day things slowly started to change, and I finally quit when I saw a positive turn in my performance. I wasn't where thought I should be, I wasn't where I knew I could be, but I certainly wasn't where I had been earlier in the day.

But the questions are: Why did this happen? What can I do if it happens again? What can I do to help prevent this in the future? And what about tomorrow?

 

[Robyn]

Well, odd as this sounds, I often find that I perform poorly when I'm dehydrated and coming from Mass to Utah could do that. My muscles just don't react like I want them to when I'm dehydrated. Drink lots of water! I had one of those morning yesterday and came in at lunch and drank 32 ozs of water which helped a lot!

 

[Native Vail Gal]

I would just add that you have some really tough skiing conditions with the powder out there. Chin up! Who knows...you may have just been nervous meeting the other Divas!

Tomorrow is another beautiful day! Ski a run for me...slowly, with confidence, with DEEP FRESH BREATHS, and take a look at the beauty around you! Then....hug a Diva!

Remember....I'm living vicariously through you....for better or worse...it will be a FABULOUS day!!!

Chin up!

 

[Sheena]

hmmm, I don't know specifically, but I think some days are just "off" days. I had a morning like that a few weeks ago. I even felt off and was skiing really badly on a groomed green slope. I was frustrated and MAD! So I just went into lunch early, and talked it over with Tim. After lunch he suggested we try a slope I had been afraid of all year. Adding to my intimidation - it was right under the lift. Well, I ended up doing it fine. And then I even tackled the slope that I had not been able to ski smoothly all season! Sometimes, taking a break can help. At least for me it does/did.

If I am not feeling at my peak, I will just hit some groomed stuff 'til I feel confident and strong again.

Anyway, I guess my point is I just think some days are off. Tomorrow is another day, and you are skiing in UTAH in one of the best snow years!! Tomorrow will be fun, even if you are not skiing your best.

 

[ISki]

Hey! No beating yourself up! Not allowed!

This happens to everyone.

Px: Stop all negative thoughts during skiing by picking a song to ski to. The tune is in your head and plays while you ski. Do not think or analyze at all, just hum to yourself, softly sing, or mouth words. Now, you ski. No thinking, just humming, singing, or mouthing. Got it? Your prognosis is excellent. Have a great day.

 

[ski now work later]

Every day that I go out to ski, I try to keep an open mind about how I'm going to ski, because I am consistently surprised. Some days I do better than expected, some I feel like I take 2-3 steps back. The conditions are always a surprise. The only thing I try to figure out in advance is what layers/jacket to wear and what skis to bring (and I usually take an extra layer and a second set of skis).

Also, I'm pretty sure that I would be self-conscious skiing with all the other Divas, for sure. At least at first.

Have a great day today QQ! And slow it down until you feel ready to rip!

 

[Toucan]

I can kind of relate to this experience. When I have a good day, it's usually GOOD, occasionally GREAT. But when I'm off, man, I might as well have stayed home!

I had a day in Vail earlier this year that made me feel like it was my first season again...I was all over the place, couldn't control my skis...and when that happened, I couldn't control my head. I finally decided, okay, take a break (it's amazing what a hot cocoa can do for your soul!) and now go find something you KNOW you can ski, and make friends with it. I had to do this a couple of times that day, but eventually I kinda found my groove again. My worst enemy many days is my head, and when I just relax and let my muscle memory take over, the wow factor comes back just a teeny bit.

Nerves, fatigue, altitude, dehydration and who knows what else are all factors. Your best friend on days like that is your memory of happy, joyous days on the hill, and taking it one run at a time and work on just one thing. Have a blast!

 

[pb&jane]

Well, odd as this sounds, I often find that I perform poorly when I'm dehydrated and coming from Mass to Utah could do that. My muscles just don't react like I want them to when I'm dehydrated. Drink lots of water! I had one of those morning yesterday and came in at lunch and drank 32 ozs of water which helped a lot!

Ditto all of the above, but I strongly second LOTS OF WATER! My first day in the Wasatch coming from NYC begins with excitement but ends with a throbbing altitude headache. This year, I kept refilling my water glass at every meal, kept a water bottle w/ me, and stayed away from alcohol (until a beer called my name at GMD saloon) and felt much better. After gasping for breath during a lesson, an instructor recommended a small camelback -- haven't gotten one yet, but will for next trip. My gym instructor back home always talks about how important water is for healing over-worked muscles, but it didn't really sink in until a week's worth of skiing at Alta.
Btw, I've never skiied Solitude but heard great things about it -- tell us about a great day; I'm sure you'll have it soon, like today!

 

[vanhoskier]

It was a little comforting to read these posts...I had an "off" night last night. I had taken the day off Friday to ski in stellar conditions and had the BEST day ever...then went back Saturday night to less than stellar conditions but my skiing was fine. Then, we went again last night - I was so psyched to be skiing again - but I skied horribly. The conditions WERE icky - very hardpacked with a loose granular surface - but my weight was back, I was tentative, places where I love to catch air I avoided......I got depressed and went home early.

Maybe it was just fatigue, who knows? I do find that when I get in those loose granular conditions my skills decline a lot. But, if I were meeting Divas for the first time on a ski trip, I'd be a bit nervous, too, and that probably would affect my skiing.

 

[bklyn]

I think we all have been there at one time or another.

When I'm not having a good ski day, I concentrate on being relaxed in my body. Just letting go of tension in the shoulders, arms, etc.. Then I remind myself to get forward and facing downhill - hands, hips, shoulders.

Then I remember that I'm out to have a good time, and not to be so critical of myself. Why spoil that good time in my head?

Proper rest, nutrition and hydration support are also key to feeling good physically and being able to perform at your best.

Well, odd as this sounds, I often find that I perform poorly when I'm dehydrated and coming from Mass to Utah could do that. My muscles just don't react like I want them to when I'm dehydrated. Drink lots of water! I had one of those morning yesterday and came in at lunch and drank 32 ozs of water which helped a lot!

I want to know how many bathroom breaks you had to take after that liquid lunch! ;)

 

[Quiver Queen]

Thanks, everybody for all your encouraging comments, and for helping me get a little optimistic about the new day.

I had a day in Vail earlier this year that made me feel like it was my first season again...I was all over the place, couldn't control my skis...and when that happened, I couldn't control my head.

Nerves, fatigue, altitude, dehydration and who knows what else are all factors. Your best friend on days like that is your memory of happy, joyous days on the hill, and taking it one run at a time and work on just one thing. Have a blast!

That's something I think I can do, Toucan, open up my brain to good memories, not current frustrations, choose one aspect of skiing to work on, and take it slowly.

Off to the mountain in half an hour, we'll see how it goes!

 

[tradygirl]

Something to think about too....yesterday's conditions were good, but a little tricky! The snow was extremely variable from the wind on Saturday night - everything from blower powder, wind slabs, upside down layers, sun-affected crusts. Things changed drastically from aspect to aspect. I was thrown off-guard several times when I ran into conditions I wasn't expecting. I dragged rachelv into Headwall Forest expecting awesome wind-deposited powder, but we got slabby unforgiving snow instead (sorry, rachel! ). It was a matter of sniffing out the conditions yesterday, and if you were in the wrong spots, it was tricky.

 

[SnowHot]

Weird funk! It happens
I'm betting that tonights tr will reveal a bunch of great stories of a profound day on the Mt

 

[sibhusky]

I like to make sure I'm warmed up before skiing with people that I don't know, like when I met Pete No. Idaho and his buddy last year...both instructors... I told them I'd meet them at 11, not when the lifts opened. Why? So I could ski on my own, test out the conditions, warm up, etc. It gave me much more confidence.

I, too, used to have at least 2 BAD days when I went from the ice coast to Utah or even worse Colorado to ski. I found I MUST overnight in Denver for Colorado or I get HORRIBLE migraines. Utah wasn't as bad, but I know that I was weak for a day or two. I think some of us are just more prone to suffer from altitude changes. I've never had time zone issues, only altitude issues, when traveling.

 

[NannyMin]

QQ, I'm hoping that today was a great day for you. I know for me, I never ski my best the first day after arriving at a higher altitude. It can be incredibly frustrating though!

 

[Native Vail Gal]

QQ, I'm hoping that today was a great day for you. I know for me, I never ski my best the first day after arriving at a higher altitude. It can be incredibly frustrating though!

^^^ ditto what Nanny Min said!

 

[Quiver Queen]

OK, I'm back from the second Utah day, first after the great implosion--terrific conditions again with less pure fluff and more chop, but really quite spectacular with bluebird skies and no wind. Instead of performance I focused on enjoyment of the day, and, as it turns out, thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was a little more tentative than my usual and the technique wasn't my best, but I skied without hesitation, without negativity, and without thought. Before heading out, I thought I'd focus on one aspect of technique, like hand position, but ended up not thinking at all (maybe that's because during my skiing yesterday I thought so much I developed a brain cramp!!) and it seems that's just what I needed. We ended up tackling some tough terrain and quite variable conditions, which I eagerly jumped into, and did alright. Not expert, not exemplary, but, more importantly, not without confidence, not weakly and certainly not like yesterday. I'm quite happy with today's skiing, and am looking forward to tomorrow's challenges--it'll be even better.

 

[bklyn]

^^ That's the spirit! ^^

 

[ride_ski]

Isn't it great when it comes together again. I hope tomorrow is a great day for you QQ (and all other Diva's who are able to ski)

 

[Gina23]

as weird as it may seem, my worst ski days have turned out to actually help me. it's usually when i push myself past my comfort zone, so the next day i go ski, i can say "i skiied that trail" and suddenly it's easier that day.