Studying the field of exercise and nutrition, I am reminded every day of the increase of Americans’ inactivity. There is an epic number of overweight and obese people in our country. This past weekend I had the opportunity to take a trip to Park City, Utah to ski with three fabulous friends and was exposed to a population in tune with health and fitness!
Shannon is a new Utah ski-season resident, Helene is a forty something self-described desk jockey who hadn’t skied in 12 years and Virginia is a 12 year old ice-skater and lacrosse star who has only skied once before. I hadn’t seen snow in 3 years—the last time was during a ski vacation in Colorado. Needless to say, the 3 of us out-of-towners were quite rusty. Even putting on all of our clothing and equipment and hiking up to the lift was a challenge! We were all a bit timid during our first day on the slopes, but with some miles under our skis and some much needed equipment and clothing changes, day two was a huge improvement.
Shannon is a speed demon, and with a few months of powder under her new stylish skis, she has become a natural. Virginia caught on lightening fast and was the daredevil of the group, she tried to find every incline, jump and off course tree lined path on the mountain. Helene likes controlled fluid lines and took her time taking in the sport and not rushing progression. By day two, her muscles had adjusted to the movement and she no longer needed Stein Eriksen Lodge breaks. I am somewhere in between. My skiing goal is to stay in control and avoid injury.
With positive attitudes and continuous encouragement, the four of us girls were able to enjoy a fabulous yet challenging sport as a group. There are very few sports in which four people with varying skill levels can stick together and all have an amazing experience. We, along with hundreds of spring-breakers and locals, enjoyed the beautiful snow covered trails, fresh Utah air and wonderful hospitality of Deer Valley employees. It was amazing for me to see the number of athletic adults and children taking part in such a rigorous sport—and loving every minute of it.
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