Straddling East and West

Last winter my dreams came true. I was able to spend the entire winter living in the mountains, skiing every day, instructing and training with an incredible ski school, and oh yeah, taking in the Olympic alpine events in person. I turned the layoff from my corporate job into the opportunity of a lifetime.

Last winter's blog posts were written from Whistler, usually after a hard day's skiing. Since returning to Toronto, I've had the opportunity to reflect on some of the differences between skiing and instructing in the East versus the West.

Days at Whistler Blackcomb began with early moring training sessions for the instructors. There I quickly learned a couple things. These skiers skiied fast! Aand they don't stop. I was initially held back by my Ontario obsession with trying to make each turn perfect. I had to learn to just go for it and let my skis run. An invigorating way to start the day for sure! I also had to build up my endurance. My muscles and my cardio had to take me the equivalent distance of at least five Ontario-length runs without stopping.

So when could an Ontario insrtuctor excel? Perhaps not surprisingly in more technical conditions - on the odd day that we didn't have fresh snow or worked on skills like short radius turns. Then my "skinny skis"" (carving skis) came in handy! As did my regimen of meticulously waxing and edging my skis - something that is less of a focus for skiers that are always used to fresh snow.

One thing that has always bothered me as a skier in Ontario was so-called skiers who couldn't be "bothered" to ski in Ontario and limited their skiing to the one week or two they could get away each year. I love skiing too much to go a sinlge weekend without skiing. While Ontario does not present the challenging terrain that the west has to offer, there are many opportunities to improve your skiing - ski gates, moguls, trees. Heck, if that fails to challenge you, try skiing backwards or head into the terrain park!

The hardest part of my experience was winter ending and leaving Whistler. I would have stayed in a heartbeat if I could have figured out a way to integrate my professional life into the community. So I am back in Toronto where I have started my own company and will be instructing for High Park this winter. But I will still be straddling East and West as I have also committed to teaching at least four weeks for Whistler Blackcomb. You will be hearing from me from both places come this winter so stay tuned....