pic by Race Director, Brendan Cusick. Engaged Zen with Heart Rates redlined; Skin Up Transition #2 of 4 for Daddy and Dewa at last night’s Chapman SkiMo Race #1.
“A good kid, is a tired kid,” that’s been my Daddying Counsel since Dewa was born over 13 years ago as 9/11 Baby beneath the Sacred Peak of Dokó Oosliíd in Kinlani (aka; Mt. Humphreys/Flagstaff, AZ).
these days? reckon Dewa is tiring Daddy out more than i Her!
c(om)ing off a fantastic high country distance skate ski on Saturday with Dewa, yesterday we got Third Chair on both Lifts 3 & 8 and skied hot laps for 2.25 hours to get the legs ready for the evening’s SkiMo (ski mountaineering) Race at our local in-town ski hill; the burly, spicy steep slope of Chapman Hill. from lifelong experience on this Hill, i knew for Dewa’s safety, did NOT want Her to ski from the top (38% gradient completely bulletproof ice cuz it hasn’t snowed here in a month)! So, Brendan allowed me to create a Short Course for Dewa (at 13, the only kid) and other racers who did not feel ready for the Long Course. i would race beside Dewa.
4 laps. each lap required skinning 200′ vertical up icy steep ski slope into a bushy/powdery skin track and then cut right back onto a snow cat shelf perched above the Start/Lap/Finish Line. gun goes off: She hammered. we had both fallen on the Pre-Course Inspection run…She on the super icy uphill (because at 80lbs, Her bodyweight is not enough to compress the camber of the ski which means Her climbing skin was not fully engaging traction). ilg fell coming in hot at the final hairpin turn after the descent and into the Skin Up Transition at the Start/Lap/Finish Line. best to do those antics during Course Inspection, not during the race!
The Champion and Her Daddy after racing the 1.54 mile, four-lap 764′ SkiMo Course in 38:54 at Her average Heart Rate of 169 bpm (195 max!)…pic by WF Master Student Kavík
the entire Race went by in an Engaged Zen C(om)bat Mode…we rarely spoke, reading and feeling each others’ chi, adapting to what would help our FLOW be fastest. my Sacred Duty was to shadow Her efforts, spot Her up the super steep icy sections and ski below Her on the Black Diamond Descent in case She fell… She did AMAZING and won the race in perfect Zen Mode. She was so high afterward. wish every kid on this Plane(t) could share a similar experience with Their Daddy… i sure never did!
“Daddy?” She asked after we got h(om)e and i pulled on the Apron to switch roles fr(om) baddass SkiMo Coach/Partner to Single Daddying cooking dinner…
“Yes, Baby Girl?”
“Wanna hear my Quote fr(om) tonight’s race?”
“I SURE do!”
“I am not Fearless,
but, I can Conquer fear!”
These teachings are the "Rasas" or "sap" of Wholistic Fitness. You’ll find insights to ponder, student chi to keep your own chi topped off, and plenty of proven training techniques to test on your own body, mind, and spirit! Also, you’ll find my very popular Race Reports, and news of our Sangha’s (community’s) latest transpersonal fitness adventures!