I think that the title of this Blog sums up my entire day... If you haven’t already guessed it, today I was learning how to snowboard! I’ve always wanted to give it a try, mainly because snowboarders look really bad ass! Emma is a pro so she kitted me out with some gear and gave me a few pointers.
It’s a strange feeling, being strapped onto a board, you can’t move your feet independently but I got used to it after a while. What I couldn’t quite master was the art of getting up. No really, I just couldn’t do it so I sat on the flo and waited for Emma to pull me up. Eventually I discovered that I could roll over onto my tummy and push myself up. This saved Emma a lot of effort but I’m pretty sure I looked like a beached whale, rolling around in the middle of the run, but hey, everyone has to learn sometime! When I had mastered that we moved on to “the button lift” – a ski lift that was designed for skiers, probably by the devil. It’s sort of like putting a rope swing between your legs and letting it drag you up a mountain. After a few tumbles I managed to get on the lift and I got to the top of the run without falling, which is quite good for a beginner, or so I’m told...
The hardest part of the day was getting from the first run to the second run – I can’t even begin to explain how difficult this was. The run had several flat areas which is terrible if you’re a snowboarder because you haven’t got poles to help you shuffle along, instead you have to unstrap a foot and push yourself along like you’re on a skateboard, which is much easier said than done. When the run wasn’t flat it was steep and icy which again, if you’re a snowboarder, is pretty difficult, especially if you’ve been learning for an hour... At this point I was ready to give up. I’m not used to failing, in fact, I’m used to doing well and being the best – if I know I’m not going to be the best at something then I don’t even try but I was trying snowboarding and still not doing well. This is the most demoralising feeling in the world.
After a while I realised that sitting on my ass, feeling sorry for myself wasn't going to get me anywhere, so I manned up and decided to keep trying until I got the hang of it, even if it meant having to fall over and jump up every five seconds. We eventually got to a decent beginner slope and I managed to do the whole thing without falling! This probably isn't a big deal for most people but I was chuffed – it's like seeing all your hard work pay off, something I've never really experienced because I've never really worked hard! Eventually the slopes closed and we headed back to the Chalet, had a massive dinner and of course, watched some Prison Break.
Xx
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