There's a first time for everything...

A Texan's first ski race is a first that keeps on giving. Turns out ski racing is a little bit harder than it looks. You see, if you think like a Texan, your chances of making it all the way down the race course are slim to none. That's just one of the many things I learned this past Saturday during my first giant slalom race at Copper Mountain. Another thing I learned is that some people over 40 and all people over 60 shouldn't wear speed suits.

I got to experience race day and get a feel for things like waiting around to race, standing in the gate, and the coolest feeling... absolutely ripping down the race course (even if only for a few seconds). Heck, the course looked easy from the lift and this old guy was putt-putting down it so I was like, “Screw this, I'm going for it.” Interestingly enough, turning is required in ski racing. My first race, I got behind on about the 5^th gate. I tried to correct too much and slid out hard. An 8 on the Texan yard sale scale, losing both skis and poles. The one downside of wearing a helmet is that it doesn't fly off and join my yard sale like my old hat used to. That means my goggles stay on too so I may never get a perfect 10 yard sale again.

I told myself for the second run that I wanted to ski conservatively and finish. Not so much. There was obviously some kind of disconnect between my brain and my body. I still just zoned out and attacked the course. Of course, I wiped out the same way in the same spot even with a different gate configuration. At least I kept one ski on that time so I am improving in a sense. Bottom line: I got my money's worth (only $5 for a new racer) and it was an absolute blast.

Two more GS races in January and my first ski cross race January 22^nd. Here's to hoping I can get my poop in a group before then.

First Day of Race Training

It was my first day of actual ski instruction, really.  Oh, that's how you carve?  Coach makes it look so easy!  The Winter Park masters racing team has about 10 members whom are mostly retired age people with nothin' but time...  Oddly enough, I think I picked the exact right program for me.  The coach is a young guy who actually has some ski cross experience so I definitely lucked out there.  It's a laid back and supportive group, and I'm about in the middle of the pack ability wise.  After all, I am still a Texan with only about 100 days of skiing experience- and trust me, those were like half days.

I'm super excited about seeing how far I can go with my skiing this year and beyond.  Every time I ski, I'm the best I've ever been.  Look for me on the podium by 2078, I'll be 96 and smoking guys much younger than me in the 80+ division.

Sponsorship and Race Announcement

Huge thanks to my employer Special Products Company for supporting my weekend-warrior aspirations. With the contributions from SpeeCo and two anonymous donors, I have now raised over $500 for the cause. As a result of SpeeCo’s generosity, I can now afford to compete in the North American Cup race this year in Steamboat Springs. This race is one level below the world cup! How do I qualify, you say? Don’t have to! Since the US ski cross program was discontinued after the Olympics this year, these races are open quota for Americans. This affords me an opportunity to see where I stand amongst an international field with no expectations and gain some much-needed competition experience. Thanks Special Products!!!!

The Beginning...

The Very First Ever Boardercross from steven rechtschffner on Vimeo.

Is Leg Press BS?

Don't get me wrong, it makes you feel like a man. But loading a dozen 45 lb. plates on a machine is a bit ridiculous. I'd much rather prefer good old fashioned squats, but I'm not able to do those yet because of my shoulder surgery (12 weeks out today). In the mean time I have been relegated to leg press; which I now know is complete BS. Any exercise that I can do 12 reps at 540 lbs. with is hereby declared invalid, null, and void. Especially if I can do it without grunting and panting like a wookie on steroids. To those out-of-the-closet alpha males flaming with overcompensation who do this, please don't grunt during my set.

Quote of the Day

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Circa 1996

  -Wayne Gretzky

           -Michael Scott

                       -Nick Paulino

Ski Cross Olympic Debut

SKI CROSS from mardel on Vimeo.

The Kids Destroyed Me

Fitness assessment day for the kids in the Winter Park ski program could only mean one thing for this office chair sitter... disaster.  I was prepared to eat crow, and it was worth it to see where I stood as a ski racer.  In all fairness, these are kids growing up in the program and taking off of school everyday 'round noon to hit the hill.  Talk about an advantage.  Not to mention they live at 9000 feet, so my lungs were already behind before the fun even began.... which explains why they destroyed me in every test that lasted longer than 1-2 seconds.  I did well relative to the 18-year-old ski racers in the vertical jump (24") and the flexibility test (8" past the toes). Each of these numbers were at the upper end of the group, so the good news is that I have some natural power and flexibility.  I wasn't able to do any of the running or the box jumps because of my shoulder, so the only other tests I could do were the balance and core strength tests. I got my butt kicked in both!

All in all, it was worth the trip today to check out Winter Park for the first time and see where I was at with my training. I proved that I have a good foundation of power and flexibility.  I think with a few adjustments to my workouts, I'll be able to fill in the gaps and get a great jump start on this ski season!

Thanks to Marc at Racewax.com

It is with great excitement that I announce the support of Racewax.com in the quest for putting a Texan on the podium.  Marc has an excellent line of products and is helping me out tremendously with a waxing system designed for simplicity and speed.   I think I will have a good chance at getting down the hill first, and I look forward to getting some wins under my belt with the help of Marc's products.  Big thanks to Racewax.com for supporting the dream.  Everyone please go check them out.

The Six-Pack Shoulder Surgery

Maybe rotator cuff surgery isn't the most painful surgery in the world but it's gotta be in the running for the most annoying.  You never really think about how much you use your shoulder until you have a gimp one.  You need it to dress, you need it to eat, and as I so rudely found out, you definitely need it to poop.  Well, at least if you still want to have friends.

I brought this upon myself.  Pitching reeks havoc on a young man, and my shoulder probably already looked like mincemeat by the time I entered my senior year of high school.  Just in case it wasn't dismantled enough, I finished it off 10 years later with a 9 inning complete game in the 2009 playoffs for the Lumberkings, my team in the Denver MSBL.  The "S" stands for either stud or sexy, I'll let you pick.  Having never pitched more than 4 innings in my life, it was quite a stretch for me and my arm has never felt the same. Just in time for ski season!

Not really giving it much thought, I skied with my normal sense of Texan recklessness at the beginning of last season.  As pictured in the professional diagram to the left (note: stick figure man not to scale), I proceeded to go flying up one side of a tabletop feature wtih way too much speed and completely overshoot the landing.  I ended up falling face first on flat ground from about 10 feet in the air and jamming my elbows into the ground while doing the splits with my skis.  Yeeoch!  No damage to the legs, they're flexible.  However, the huge impact to my shoulder definitely tore something.

Next up, rotator cuff!  A month or so later in the ski season,  I had my last bit of fun while skiing in reverse.  I had progressed really well with my all around skiing, but I was getting particularly good at going backwards... fast!  I was cruising in reverse and I realized I had gotten so much better at carving aggressively.  So I naturally wanted to push the limit- not necessarily find out where it was- but of course that's exactly what happened.  I caught an edge at about 40 mph and went horizontal, with my arms flung over my head by the g force. 

The abrupt extension of and landing on my right arm ripped my rotator cuff 3/4 of the way through.  Of course I didn't know this because I refused to see a doctor during ski season.  I skied a little more cautiously after that, but I still managed to beat it up a few more times with some pretty good wipe outs.  I just couldn't help myself.

In May I went to see some doctors and ended up having surgery done in July.  The idea was to get as much baseball in as I could and still be ready for ski season.  My surgeon, Dr. Millett, performed shoulder surgery on Casey Puckett 3 weeks before competing in ski cross at it's debut in the 2010 Olympics.  I figured I was in good hands, plus maybe by being connected to Puckett in a way he could pass the good juju to me.

Overall, I had six different procedures done on my shoulder:

1. Rotator cuff repair -->

2. SLAP repair

3. Anterior labral tear

4. Biceps tenodesis

5. Subacromial bursitis

6. Capsulorraphy

It was quite the field day for the doc.  He must have done a great job because it really doesn't hurt that bad considering all that was done. I'm 8 weeks out today and hopefully in another 8 weeks, I'll be ready for ski season.  For now, it's just me and my 28 oz. Jar of Jiff extra crunchy and a whole lotta reps.

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Why are there no famous Texan ski racers?

I mean really. Those Jamaican bobsledders made names for themselves- wait, who were they again? I guess I'm fighting an uphill battle here. Has anyone who grew up in Texas ever even entered in a alpine ski race? I can't be the first large man from Texas who thinks he's fast on skis...

But if I had to guess, I'd say the bar is set relatively low competing against my fellow larger-than-life-ers. That being said, I'm at a huge disadvantage against anyone who grew up near skiing! The good news is that ski cross isn't a super precise discipline like slalom or something. There is a lot more room for error in ski cross, or in this case, a Texan. Did you see ski cross in the Olympics? It wasn't uncommon to see guys make a mistake or two and still win a heat. But then again, they are Olympians.

So despite the long-shot odds, it is possible. I mean for a friggin dream, it is relatively reasonable. Any takers dare to dream with me?

What is Ski Cross? Check it out in first person.

How much sense does a dream have to make?

After all, it is a dream right? So what if it might be a little bit on the other side of reality? That's what dreams are for. So what if I want to travel the world as a professional ski cross racer? All I know is this:

1. Skiing is my passion.
2. I am built for this. At 6'2" 220 lbs, I have a lot of momentum. Physics are on my side! I also have good height and excellent flexibility to absorb rollers and jumps well.
3. Despite not growing up around skiing, I believe my extensive repetitions with baseball movements have allowed me to transition into a naturally good skier. I have quick calves, explosive hips, and a strong core from baseball.
4. Skiing like a Texan my whole life, I am used to pushing limits and being in situations outside my ability level. I have a fast learning curve with skiing because of this. I also have a lot of experience with jumps (I am up to the 6' tall "medium" jumps in the expert terrain park) along with an extensive history of "Oh shit!" moments. In short, I ski aggressively and on the edge. I clocked myself at 74 mph on my gps after I got my racing skis last year- and I was holding back a little.

So why not give it a calculated shot? It's not like I have to quit my job and move to the mountains to get started. For the 2010/11 season, I will be training on weekends in an adult racing program at Winter Park and competing in the USASA Rocky Mountain Series for ski cross at Copper Mountain. There are also several adult alpine racing leagues around CO that could be valuable competition experience for me. The more race experience the better, I am only limited by the amount of competition funds I can raise!