Photos: Me with the team (still with outer gear on, between races)
You don't understand anything until you learn it more than one way. ~Marvin Minsky
There is a beauty in learning something new, or rather should I say, learning something that I know, or think I know in a new way.
I've been spending the past few weeks racing with the MIT ski team and it has been quite an experience. Though I skied recreationally since I was 13 with family out in Colorado. My Uncle was nice enough to teach me (a young Texan devoid of mountains previously) how to ski.
But racing is different. The skis are actually arched to cut into the snow, which by the way - is pretty icy compared to what I'm used to out in Colorado. But the strenuous, more technical skiing has really helped me focus on my technique.
We raced 2 types of races - slalom and giant slalom. I've been placing consistently towards last place, which is a humbling experience to say the least.
It is definitely an experience that really forces me to focus on simply competing with myself, rather than worrying about comparing. It is also an exercise in calming my mind and 'zoning' on the task at hand - in this instance, getting my skis to turn cleanly around gates that are coming at me at 30+ miles/hour.
I'll keep you posted on how the second half of the season goes and how far I get after starting again at square one.
Keeping an optimistic head about things was never so vital. I'm getting faster on the slopes all the time.
Also - a quick note, my business is gaining momentum as we move towards our first product launch - more news on that soon ..
