Winter Sports

 #1 - Today I watched my first cross-country ski race.  When I got there I thought, "Why would anyone do this?" You are going to get hot racing so you have to stand around before the race in limited clothing.  It is stressful and cold.  If I were in charge of the world there probably would neither be any racing, nor record breaking.  Some might say a boring place.

Anyway, I didn't know what the parking situation would be. The race started at 4pm.  I arrived at 3:30pm. I saw my niece and learned her race started at 4:30 + 35:40.  That would be another hour and a half!  I brought neither book nor phone to amuse me.  I thought of going for a walk but I also didn't bring a watch.  Sigh.

So I sat in the vestibule of the building and daydreamed, watched the high school kids and answered a grandma's question about the race (the little info I knew).  

Around 4:20 I walked down to the course to get the lay of the land and pretty soon saw my niece in line to start.  So the 35 minutes was 35 minutes after 4pm, not after 4:30.

We only have a dusting of snow still so they are skiing on a man made snow course and would do 2 laps.  There was a good spot to stand where I could see my niece 4 times.  This was a classic ski race (versus skate ski) and most of the kids were poling it most of the way which is a lot of back and upper body strength.

It's so interesting how seeing someone we love do something pulls us in. Before she started I watched the students going by nonchalantly, however once she was in, I was in. It really reinforces to me how what the people we care about do, expands our world. I've skied this course many times (never racing), and yet suddenly I felt it in a whole new way.

At the end she asked me what was more exciting to watch, the cross country running or skiing.  I said the running, because when she runs I run to different points in the course to see her.  It takes a lot more effort and adrenaline from me. But then I thought more about it and in those races everyone starts at the same time so it is easy to ascertain who is winning and losing. In this race, they start staggered, 5 people every 30 seconds.  Plus they are doing 2 laps, so you may know where the people you start with are, but the other people on the course you have no idea if they are ahead of you or behind you.

So despite what I said earlier, it is less stressful, but also less exciting.

#2 - It was also a great day to watch as it was near freezing (around 0 C), whereas the forecast for next week is finally January winter weather (a high of 0 F/-17 C).

#3 - I lost a winter hat at a home visit last year. I lost another one last week.

The family had the second hat when I asked about it today.

#4 - My other family said, "Sorry we have a situation," when I arrived today.  I came in concerned, but the "situation" was simply that the kid was asleep and the mom couldn't get her to wake up. It ended being really nice because her newborn was asleep too so I got to just talk to the mom in the quiet for 15 minutes.  It felt sweet. 

#5 - Finally I am going to try a fitness ice skating class tonight.  It is good this is a gratitude day, because writing that will give me another reason not to change my mind.

I saw skating lessons in the park and rec catalog last month and marked it.  They had beginner, intermediate and advanced levels (for adults).  I have the same basic skating skills I've had since a kid since I go about 1-2 times a year.  "Maybe I should take an intermediate class and actually improve on something." I thought.  But I didn't sign up.

Last week when we STILL didn't have snow (to ski) I called about the class.  I thought it might be cancelled for lack of enrollment, but there is a waiting list!  Go adults!

So I can't do that but they also have this "fitness skate".  It is a 45 minute drop in payment to get exercise while skating.  It does not specify what level of a skater you need to be.  So I'm guessing I might not skilled enough for it.  However it is Monday nights for the next 6 weeks and if I happen to like it then I could keep going.

And if I don't I never have to go again.

It is also 8:45-9:30pm so very close to my bedtime.

So it would be much easier for me to just stay home, however I think of Eleanor Roosevelt at times like these who said, "Do something every day that scares you." And how rarely I do something that scares me.  But this would qualify, so I know I've got Eleanor on my side.