mountains & medicine.: Cross-Country Skiing!

On Saturday, I attempted a new sport for the first time: Cross Country Skiing. The trip was led by the EPFL's XChange Student Union, and offered a fantastic morning of snowy fields, peaceful paths, bright skies....and about nine million new bruises.

There were many aspects of cross country skiing I absolutely loved: I loved that is was somewhat slower-paced, allowing me to actually chat with my fellow skiers in a way that would be impossible when downhill skiing. I loved that it worked out an entirely new set of muscles. I loved that our 10k trail wound through beautiful meadows, over icy creeks, and under pristine alpine cliffs. In many ways, cross-country skiing seems to be winter's version of hiking-- a chance to get outside, appreciate nature, be healthy, and relax while doing so.

Unfortunately, there were also parts that I wasn't so crazy about-- or to be more precise, there was exactly one part I wasn't really feeling: going downhill. One might think that, given how much I adore downhill skiing (see here and here), going downhill on cross-country skis would be a breeze, a welcome treat from climbing up inclines and pushing myself across the snow. This is not the case. Cross-country skis are very thin, very long, and offer practically no edge. Carving and hockey-style stops are impossible, causing the only mechanism of slowing oneself down to be pushing your ski tips together, bending your knees, and bracing yourself to fall. At least, that's what I did.

For whatever reason, as soon as the path sloped downhill, I would find myself going faster, faster, faster, faster...and then falling over. While I was never seriously hurt and walked away with far more smiles than bruises, it did make me realize that my new cross-country skills have a lot of room for improvement.