Ski Race

Sunday, January 02, 2000

I've been an Alpine skiier since the age of three. I just learned that Nordic skiing is an entirely different sport. Emily has been a cross country instructor for a few years and took it upon herself to teach me how to really ski.

I guess she figured that after five days of practice, I was ready to race. After suitable alchoholic preperation, she appealed to my male ego and consoled my by saying: "It's just a fun race for beginners and families!" When we woke up the next morning and headed out to Tahoe Donner, this is what we saw:

Not many families or beginners showed up to race that day. However, all the professionals were there, so Em and I pushed on. It was a relay race, and I had the first leg.

After about, oh, 100 yards, I was firmly in last place. It wasn't until about the 1K mark that the 70 year old man in front of me got out of my range of sight, though. Em raced the second leg of the relay and did pretty good, but there was no way she could overcome my last place lag.

All in all, it was a great lesson. It was the first time in my life that I came in last place -- in anything.