Learn To Ski In Your Forties - It Can Be Even More Special
I had always had an idea that I would like to ski right from being a teenager, I did the usual thing of asking my parents if I could go on the school skiing trip but found that the financial implications were a bit too high for my parents to manage as I was one of four children and money was tight.
My next attempt at going skiing came quite a few years later when I was a member of the Royal Air Force and tried to take up the option of going on a forces led ski trip, unfortunately I fell foul again, this time because I had applied to leave the air force and it was decided, quite rightly, that I had ruled myself out of this option and was not eligible, someone else who was not leaving the air force got the place.
I then tried again when I was in my late thirties but would you believe it, this time I had a medical problem and ended up in hospital just as I was about to go on my privately paid skiing holiday, having finally got a job that provided enough cash for me to go skiing. I thought that was it and that it just wasn't my destiny to go skiing and that I should give up on it.
I didn't reckon on my wife though who had been skiing on several occasions and was completely hooked on the sport. She talked me into having one last try just after my 39th birthday.
Was I glad she did because I discovered what a fantastic and exhilarating sport it is, OK I nearly killed myself learning to ski and not being a particularly fit 39 year old or a natural skier, learning the basic skills strained every muscle and sinew in my body, even a few I didn't know I had, but gradually and bit by bit, by taking skiing lessons, I learned the basic skills and started to negotiate not only the easy blue runs but then the reds and finally I managed a black run.
I honestly believe that this would not have happened if I had not committed to taking lessons that give you the basic skills, some of the things you do when skiing are a bit counter intuitive and without expert tuition you could learn some very bad habits that would prevent you mastering the steeper slopes which are much less forgiving of poor technique.
But what a buzz when you do master those skills, not only do you get to see some of the most fantastic scenery the world has to offer but you can actually throw yourself off a mountain and shoot down the slopes at what seems incredible speed, not as fast as Ski Sunday and actually not that fast at all really but you don't realize that, from your perspective you could be in a world downhill challenge so who cares if its actually a tad slow. There is something very special about conquering a new skill especially when you can use that skill to get some very healthy exercise in a wonderful environment, I think they call it feeling alive.
All I can say is I am so glad I persevered and can now enjoy this wonderful sporting activity, so if you think you are too old you may want to think again, I am now in my 50's and I am still going strong with what has become one of my favorite pass times, my only regret is that I didn't quite make skiing as a teenager, could have been so much better for so much longer.
