Braving The Cold

When I moved to the prairies from the west coast I continued my practise of going outdoors  in the winter regardless of the weather.  To do otherwise is to spend a lot of time - too much time - indoors.  The outdoors are cold, indeed, but they offer their own reward even in extreme weather.

My second winter here I went to a ski store in Regina and bought myself some good waxless skis.  They were adequate enough, but at the beginning of this winter I sold my skis and went back to the same store and got myself some waxable skis.  The aim was to be faster on the tracks.

Since returning from the Christmas break I have gone skiing 3 times, and it turns out that buying the skis was a good call.  Waxing the ends of the skis is a bit tricky, but I'm getting the hang of it.

I still have a few more ski outings planned before I head south for my annual pilgrimage to Mexico later this month.

So far I have only skied at Wildwood this winter, but I have a trip to Eb's Trails planned, and I also want to check out Holiday Park.

Below is a picture of a few weeks ago when I went skiing with some ski-friends.

The one thing I have yet to figure out though is how to dress properly on an outing.  The wind here is relentless and unforgiving.  I almost always get super cold.  And this takes away from the fun of skiing.  And it doesn't help them cough that's been with me since Christmas. 

Sport Pains And Aches

My goodness...my body aches everywhere, after playing tennis Friday night and going skiing yesterday.

My calves and ankles are killing me.

And my knees, I feel every step I take, all day long.

And I'm "only" 47.

That Same Panic...Again

I went skiing again with Michelle, and like last time, I had some kind of a panic attack where I had a hard time breathing.  I continued, but at a slower pace, and things seemed to be fine after that.  But I admit that terrifying thoughts about heart attacks are making their way into my mind when these attacks happen.

I've always considered myself to be comfortable with the idea of dying.  My faith in the afterlife instructs me to approach this topic with a sense of certainty, not in my worthiness of heaven, but in God's goodness.  But it's one thing to have a theological comfort about the afterlife, and quite a different to experience the vulnerability and fragility of life.

I've stopped swimming, in the meantime, probably as much because it's now cold enough to go skiing instead, as because I'm afraid of getting more panic attacks. 

Panic - A Horrible Feeling

I went skiing today with Michelle.  We went to Wildwood Golf Course and skied for about 30 minutes - about 6 kms.  It felt great - I'm glad one of the first things I did when I moved to Saskatchewan was buying cross country skis!

I felt some chest pain while skiing though, and that concerns me.  I'm not sure where it comes from, but possibly swimming. Sometimes when I go swimming I feel a tremendous sense of panic and shortness of breath.  I try to push ahead and not give up when that happens, but it's a horrible feeling - like I'm drowning or something - when it happens.

I think I'm in worse shape physically than I thought.  I only swim 16 laps (about 500 metres) in total, but by the end I'm physically exhausted.  I don't consider myself a good swimmer, but 500 metres seems like so little.  Plus, it takes me 30+ minutes, 2 breaks included, to complete the swim.

Another thing that bothered me is the pace of my skiing.  I ski so slow.  Michelle is a good and steady skier, but she has skis that are like, 30 years old, and she seems to ski so effortlessly.  Her strides are so smooth, mine seem slow and laboured in comparison.

XC Skiing @ Echo Valley

Another fantastic day outdoors, this time at Echo Valley.

Seven of us carpooled from Regina at 9:30am.  Upon arrival, we divided into 2 groups, and began skiing at around 11am.  My group did the Fox trail, the Jack Rabbit trail, and the Mink trail, covering about 13kms.

Afterwards, as usual, a few of us went to ESM for a good meal.

This group of outdoor enthusiasts has been a true lifeline for me in the prairies...

XC Skiing @ White Butte

Cool and windy day.  About -18.

Skiing: what a great workout.  So envigorating!

Covered about 10kms.

Bought myself a knee brace for left knee, as it's been sore the past few weeks.

After skiing, carb load-up at ESMs.

Thank you Lord for a great day!

XC Skiing @ White Butte

Finally I got to test my new skis!!!  I'm hooked .. I wanna go again!!!!!!

The first hour was hard though, as I was trying to get used to the motion, and my muscles, especially my ankles, were getting sore.

But, another gorgeous day out.  This time even warmer than last week, and sunny, clear skies.

Below are a few pictures, including some of the great people I have the privilege of exploring the outdoors with.

Afterwards, a few of us went to, where else, East Side Mario's.  Their chicken parmigiana is becoming a staple meal for me.

Next up: snowshoeing in Winnipeg next weekend.