My Aching Quads

Last post I discussed what not to do before skiing, and I could not have been more right.

The setting was gorgeous. The scenery was breathtaking. The snow was like manna from heaven. Everything was set up to be that perfect day on the mountain.

Before I closed my eyes the night before I took a look out the window to see if I would awake to fresh snow on the mountain. To my distain I didn’t see a snow cloud in the sky and the winds weren’t blowing, like you sometimes see before impending storms. But I awoke to quite the opposite…. fresh snow!

We hurriedly ate breakfast and got dressed and headed on down to the ski lifts. As our rear ends hit the lift at 9am everything seemed perfect.

I casually got off the lift and headed to the drop in point for our first run. Everything was perfect and pristine. Seeing that it was still a workday, and the Friday after the New Year’s weekend, the mountain was predictably quiet and wide open.

The first run we took was a green that dumped into a steeper and narrower blue run, and since it was the first run of the season for me, I thought this was the perfect start to the day.

I easily cruised down the green, toes pointed straight, not making many turns. When I caught up to my ski-mate to head on down the blue, I felt a little something in the quads, but disregarded it as just an awkward move in ski boots. But the blue, with its 6 inches of fresh powder was more difficult to maneuver than the green I had just been on, and I was required to make more turns. With each turn my legs, quads particularly, reminded me of the heavy lifting I had done to them just 36 hours previously…. and they were getting back at me tenfold.

I ended up skiing most of the day, but there were times when I had to come to a complete stop in the middle of the mountain to regain the strength in my legs. It was not fun.

So here I was in this gorgeous setting, this breathtaking scenery, floating on snow that seemed to be made of clouds, and all I could think about was how I wanted off and to be back in our condo with a hot cup of cocoa and elevated legs.

So next time I know I am embarking on an adventure I will make sure my workout routine will not hinder my ability to participate the event fully and enjoy it to its fullest.

Keep sporting!
- Who’s In First