I have been a skier for a long time. For over 20 years I have two-planked it down the slopes with a high level of confidence and proficiency. My ski career took a hit when I went to grad school and spent my weekends in the library rather than on the mountain. That was okay though, because, like riding a bike, I knew it was something I could return to. Being so involved in CrossFit has made me more confident in my abilities and has helped me to be more eager to try new things, especially athletic things.

I have many friends who snowboard and are really good at it. It was always an activity that I thought I could be good at if I learned. Also, for some reason it looked easier than skiing. Notice how I used the past tense there. It looked easy…but it’s so NOT easy, at least not for me.

Last Sunday, Matt, Jameson, and I decided to try our hand at snowboarding. Matt has also been a skier for a long time. Jameson had never set foot on a mountain in the winter. We headed up to Pat’s Peak on the sunny March morning and rented out boots and boards. Luckily there are a couple of beginner areas that we staked out. Once I figured out the binding situation, I strapped in and sat there for a few minutes. A part of me felt kind of strange because I knew I was going to look like a fool. I have always said that if I was going to learn I would take a lesson, but we decided to completely wing it. I was actually pretty terrified to even stand up on the board. But I did stand up…and then I fell. Up, down, up, down…onto the knees, onto the tail bone. I’ve never been so thankful for my CrossFit booty.

The Padden family met us up there and we spent the day shredding with the kiddos. I never thought I’d be outdone by a 4 and 6 year old at a sport, but on this day I was, and it was awesome. Spending the day on the slopes in the fresh air reminded me of being a kid and enjoying ski vacations with my family. The best part was challenging myself to really go outside of my comfort zone and try something totally new. Aside from the challenges CrossFit throws at me, I don’t do this very often. Here are some pictures from the day!

I conquered the Magic Carpet!

Here we go!