The Tail End of Business

So I have three more days left. As much as this week seemed to go slow here I am suddendly with two more skiing days left. Kind of strange, seems like ages ago I first arrived.

I didnt go up yesterday or today. My head is not still 100% and I didnt want to make the mistake I did on Tuesday as I fear a repetition of that vertigo sensation.

But tommorrow and Saturday are different stories. I really want to get the most out of it as I can. I want to finish with some idea of what I have achieved. At the moment I am still a bit unsure how far I have gone. Another two days on the mountain will definitely give me an idea where I am, and where I need to go.

Skiing is a never ending process of learning. Even the best in the world need to improve. Even they can go faster, harder, turn better, get better posture.

So I guess I am not in any particular rush.

I spoke with my coach and reinterated to him my aspirations and dreams. He wasnt surprised as I had previously mentioned this to him before I came. He definitely says I am good enough to do the national disabled championships this year in Australia, so I just need to speak with my Australian coach about that. Hopefully by racing in the national championships, and more importantly, winning, I will get a foothold into the IPC World Cup races, for the northern hemisphere season 07/08.

I suppose the one thing that has changed in terms of my goals is that my immediate goal was to make the Paralympics. Although this has not really changed, a series of sub-goals will lead me there. And unless I successfully execute those sub goals, then the main goal remains unobtainable.

So for me I guess the focus is on these regional and national championships, then the world cup, then the paralympics. One at a time. My coach is confident, my guide is confident (when he isnt talking about boobs), and well I am pretty confident I guess.

In terms of life changes needed to achieve this, well I will need alot of time during the Australian winter for these competitions. I suspect that I might need to change job functions or something, so that I can get this extra time off.

It is an extraordinarily long battle for disabled atheletes to achieve these types of goals. To train you need time and money. To get money, you need time to work. The more time you spend working for money to train, the less you are able to train, and the less effective training becomes. But the less time you spend working for money to train, the less money you have to train, and again the less effective training becomes. It is a vicious circle. One that can only be overcome with support, sponsorship and patience. Alot of the fellow people I have met do not work for the simple reason is that they need the time to train. But in the process of forgoing work to train, they are missing out on alot of the things only people who can work can afford.

I guess I am extremely lucky because I have a workplace that sponsors me and has given me some time off work. I wonder what they will say when I ask them for more sponsorship money, in exchange for even more time off work! Cant hurt I guess!

Anyway, early night for my last two days. I am going to go hard. No fear.