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Jnana Mudra; the Gesture of Strength and Wisdom…which i engage during snowshoe racing not only to Hook Up internal pranic orbits, yet also to soothe the hurt of not accomplishing what i tried so hard to do at Chama this weekend;  regain my King of the Mountain title…2nd place for the 2nd year in row hurts…however…

my hurt today was consoled by the following facts;
•)1st Place AG; Snowshoe Race
•) 2nd Place Overall; 10k Classic (just behind Clay Moseley, and just in front of Brian Miller…both are iconic legends in cycling)
the warrior which has beat me for the King of the Mountain Competition (10k classic into 5k snowshoe) is decades younger than ilg, didn’t come to my yoga class, and…didn’t contest the Freestyle Ski Race the day before our competition today, so, really?  if you wanna test the TRUE King of the Mountain:  make ’em do what feeble ilg does each year:   race 3 races in two days,  not just 2 races in one day…
just sayin’…

it was a deep and sacred honor to once again Toe The Start Line of the Snowshoe Race with John Gilbert, another iconic Southwest Mountain Endurance Mountain Yogi from the old days.  “Ilg, you crushed it in the ski race…i can’t believe you’re gonna snowshoe race now!” peer Praises from such honored Warriors?  hec,  with YOUR support?  dat’s enough motivation for ilg to keep doing my best in these Sacred Southwest Pilgrimages until i die!   John is once again on the cOMeback trail and finished 2nd Overall in the Snowshoe Race today…i was on his tail just like the old days, dropping the younger racers in the first kilometer at 10,000+ elevation…us old guys still got some guts to us!  Go,  John!

the Chama River Valley…you can buy land here for $6,000…why not? put up a yurt. live simply, ski often, fish when hungry, chop wood when cold.    and yes, those are my Kahtoola racing snowshoes on top of Bala….

coaching reMinder:  Hot Tubs are AWESOME only AFTER, not before, racing…ilg was sooooo worked after 3 races at high altitude in 2 days plus teaching yoga…the sun, the water, the warmth….How Blessed Is The Life Of A Warrior Toward Wholeness?

Where it all comes down;  The High Country Restaurant in Chama, NM….trust me,  aside from this sacred winter racing weekend each year?  you would NOT want to walk into this establishment wearing anything close to resembling lycra…

In my HeartSpace? so happy….your feeble teacher tried soooo hard over the past two days…and to still be able to drive back to Durango hauling such a quiver of results:

• 1st Place 7.5 Freestyle

• 1st Place AG; 5k Snowshoe

• 2nd Overall King Of The Mountain

• 2nd Place Overall: 10k Classic Ski

• 4th place Overall  5k Snowshoe

the trickiest part of tonight’s Award Ceremony was escaping all the drinks being bought for me and heading back to my motel room at the fantastic Riverbend Lodge for a cup of Calli Beverage and writing to you, my Precious WF Sangha…

thank you for all of your support and may your Practice be thus inspired by my own ongoing Efforts toward and onto the podium….

head bowed from deep within my sacred (and SNOWING!) Southwest Winter…

4 Responses to “A Beautiful Oblivion; Chama Ski Classic, Day Two…ooof! so close, hurts so much…”

  1. padma says:

    you’re all-ways #1 to me, Rinpoji!!!

    padma

  2. Ken Doyle says:

    Dear SUPER DAD, Congratulations Steve. You are and always have been such a great inspiration. i’m off to the gym to do my best and follow your lead. LOVE, Kendo

  3. /suprana\ says:

    AWESOME!!!!

  4. Sandra Lee says:

    those are wayyyy fantastic results! you kick butt!

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