March 18, 2010 – It’s mid-March in Maine and I’ve already pulled out the roller skis. It feels way too soon to be on the roads again. I’ve been waiting for snow for more than a month and a half, but now that the flowers are blooming – a month early – I’m done waiting. If snow won’t come to me, then I’ll go to it! I’m headed to Truckee, CA where I’ve heard there’s 16 inches of snow!

Truckee in March at JOs © Adele Epsy

My rib is healed and I’m itching for the snow skiing time I missed in February. I’ll spend just over a week skiing in Truckee with my friend Joanne, who I met on the World Junior Trip, before making my way to the Steadman/Hawkins Clinic in Vail, CO where I likely will get my second compartment syndrome release done by Dr. Hackett. My mom will meet up with me in Vail and chauffeur me to and from the clinic. After surgery we will fly back home and I’ll start my recovery in Maine with my family.

Over the past month I’ve taken advantage of this forced hiatus to deal with lingering stomach and asthma issues and well as work with an exercise physiologist and friend to determine any weak/tight muscles that could be contributing to my lower leg injuries (stress fractures and compartment syndrome). Dawn Strout, the physiologist, had me do a functional movement screening – a series of difficult and humbling stabilization exercises – and videoed me skiing. She is working up an exercise routine for me based on her findings!

I also took an Alpine ski lesson this past weekend to learn how to ski downhill fast. I find myself snow plowing in Nordic ski races far more than I’d like to, so I thought maybe I could learn a thing or two from an alpine perspective. The teacher I was assigned was enthused to work with a Nordic skier and taught me primarily on my classic Nordic skis.

We had to sneak onto the lift since the chair lift attendants were very unsteady about letting me ride to the top of the mountain with Nordic skis. It was definitely a challenge, but by the end of the 2-hour lesson I was making Alpine turns on my Nordic skis and feeling pretty comfortable! Check out the video!!!!