J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Chemmy

ah thanks guys for all your support xx have a fab winter and hope to see some of you guys out there on the white stuff!

My worst characteristic is undoubtedly my patience - or lack of. My best is my ability to fight. Putting those two together suggests a battle with coming back from injury where one succeeds by skiing slowly, improving gradually and taking the time to get back to hard, bumpy full on courses.

Inspired by the positive buzz and happy bubble of inspiration that I gained from being fortunate enough to experience first hand a few of our fabulous Gold medal winning performances at the London Olympics, I landed in NZ super eager to get on track to my own PB at Sochi Olympics 2014.

The first few days I was forced to ease into the pace since it was soft and dumping with much necessary snow. I did an easy day GS and felt such great equilibrium between my left and right turns that i left the hill that day on a high.

The next opportunity to ski and conditions had changed radically - the previous moisture in the snow combined with overnight clear skies resulted in perfect race like conditions. The easy 17 gate corridor of flowing GS gates were far more difficult than predicted and all of us (I ski with the Canadian Women's World Cup Team) fought and battled and for me crashed our way down (always good to get the first one out the way though!) But the challenge was intoxicating. As ski racers it is hard to not get addicted to arching that perfect turn - going into the fall line with symmetrical ankle, knee and hip pressure; feeling the ease of finishing the turn at the gate and being able to actively shift onto the new outside ski. The new equipment makes this timing of pressure even more important and without the parabolic of the ski to help you the sweet spot is ever so small. Miss it and you are battling.

I found the first few gates where the speed is lower and the flow yet to be established tough - my rhythm was off and i was grinding the turns. After the bogey gates at the top however, I started to get it. It was far from perfect but a work in progress. So I forgot about the fact I was returning from injury and powered on.

Having had to have the last few days off since, I learnt that 12 runs at the moment is too much for me! This is my first big injury and the first time I am doing a return to snow programme. I know I am an over excited personality and I know I frequently succumb to F.O.M.O (fear of missing out - in this case the other girls were skiing long, hard days - why can't I? - well for starters they don't have metal right legs!!!)

Having pain so specific it can make you feel physically sick is not something you expect when you are participating in something you love. I know it sounds cheesy but I was born to ski. The most natural thing in the world for me is being out in the mountains feeling the snow being sliced by my edges. But at the moment I am backing of my left turns. I am not committing to them because I am stopped by pain. So once again, I have learnt the only way I know - the hard way.

Thankfully we are not panicking as this is the time to learn. After such a great camp in Zermatt, I came here expecting huge things from myself. And that is okay... in fact if I didn't let my expectations run away from me now and again I wouldn't be the person I am today. You just have to work with your talents and more importantly know your weaknesses.

The weather is coming in which has forced people to take days off - this time playing into my favour. With two days off my leg will be loved and come tuesday I will go up the hill and ski with quality and efficiency, stopping before I feel any discomfort and every day I will do one more run and push myself that little bit more.

Had a great day skiing GS today - got some video will try and upload to show all you especially the critics (not that i am bitter just want to show you how fast i am going to be!! haha)

This is short and sweet as i need to get ready for tomorrow - BIG day 10 runs of GS at 3500m then flying home to carry torch in London Borough of Ealing 6pm 24th - MASSIVE honour!

then back on plane to return to zermatt for 3 more days of equipment testing before some physical training then NZ whoop whoop

i had a day off yesterday - going for 3 in a row now before flying home to carry torch

Ballsy move today after just 5 turns free skiing on the SG skis I went to top of the course to check in with physio and coach said 'Why Not?' Can't tell you how great it was - i was smiling, singing and screaming down... I kid you not - in fact i will try and post the video when i get it. Was supposed to be skiing 80% but that is not something i know and within one run i was full catsuit, race bib on and powering out the start.

Am still coming to terms with how euphoric this felt. It truely was a milestone...

From this day forth as much as possible I am going to forget I am coming back from injury. I am just back.

Quick one as am exhausted having been up since 5.15am but my enthusiasm and love of being back yesterday resulted in me going too hard and the metal and screws in my leg were pretty aggravated today. Had to take a pain killer which i hate doing as believe you need to listen to your body and understand what it is telling you. Consequently didn't ski hard today just did 10 runs of basic drills and foundation work - which was actually very needed and super helpful.

Hope you are all well
x

Today finally Zermatt opened its arms and let us ski its fabulous summer terrain.

The last few days have been non-starters with huge anti-climax as i reached the last station only to be held there due to either mechanical problems or adverse weather conditions.

But today no human, nor godly problem could stop us.

Being back with the Canadians was one of the best decisions I have made since i broke my leg. I slit seamlessly back into the team, both with my fellow racers and the coaches.

I am delaying the moment where i try to describe how good it felt to go at speed and trust my leg and body and technique again because i know no english language can do justice to the joy i felt.

Having dabbled in Kaprun on slalom skis with no intensity in soft conditions a few weeks ago I wasn't worried about easy skiing. It was the demand of the new FIS regulation GS skis, the need to commit to turns when a huge G Force is pulling at you, the hard bumpy glacier ice and most of all, my ever present expectation to ski perfectly.

Despite the huge time i had off I know that the first thing i needed to test on this camp was my guts. DO I have what it takes to be fast, really fast again? To be prepared to put my body on the limit and takes risks?? Well those fears were answered in my first run as i powered down the first pitch carrying speed and diving into a steep having to trust the huge years of experience I have, to adjust to the knew equipment.... most racers have a long come back to racing programme with days, and months spent on the basics, going slow.... for me i felt through my experience on Dancing on Ice I have fast tracked this - I know the control and strength in my leg is there. Now I need to test is specifically - by going hard and fast and not overthinking those first vital turns...

Well some said MISSION IMPOSSIBLE -
I say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!

In fact none of the group of orange clad Canadian coaches even mentioned my time off or my injury - straight away they treated me like all the others - slightly rusty after the spring physical training!

BOOM!!

So yes the new equipment means i need to adapt my skiing but the potential to be fast is now no longer a dream, it is there and i am so happy to say right now i am living and breathing it!

I will keep you posted on any news - this was supposed to be one liners of blogs but today was so monumental I had to go on and on and on......

:lol: :lol: :lol: :D