The mornings are cool and the days are getting shorter and shorter. The roads are packed with the “leaf peeping” out-of-staters who think parking their cars directly in the middle of a busy highway is okay because its Vermont. Talk of snow, wood-stove fires, and hot chocolate. It can all only mean one thing… WINTER IS COMING!
This summer was the first year that I didn’t go down to South America since I started racing F.I.S. Which means this is the longest stretch of off snow time that I have had in over 6 years. It is frustrating not to be able to train when this sport requires such time and devotion. You spend so much time looking for support to continue your dream and sometimes its just not enough or, like me, have to cut back on some spending to make a better, more solid, future plan.
Being off skis for these few months this summer was not an entirely bad thing however. My physical fitness has always been something to improve. Not to say that I was incredibly out of shape before but it was always an area of my athletic career that I was never fully confident in. Since the end of ski season I have lost 20 pounds and am stronger than I have ever been. I know that when ski season comes around this time the only thing I will need to focus on is skiing well, and skiing fast and that is very very comforting to me. You better believe that I will be making every turn count come November!
Until then I plan to continue to hone my body as best I can, (I can do lowers again!) and get mentally psyched for heading out to Colorado. I will post about my full seasons plan shortly and let you know where I will be this winter! Hope everyone is enjoying the fall, stay classy
-Tucker
P.S- Unfortunately my friend Noel Baxter, British Olympian and World Cup skier, had to retire for similar financial reasons before the start of this season. Check his blog out to read up on his life story. He is a great person and I wish him all the best!
http://noelbaxter-britishskiracer.blogspot.com
P.P.S- Also, a young skier from Green Mountain Valley School has his own ways to keep busy during the summer. He can also make one sick edit! Check out Ryan Mooney getting after it, yeah buddy
Life.Love.Skiing. 