Rocky Mountain Winter Games

Are you a fit Boomer athlete who still has the passion to compete?

If so, then it's not too soon to start thinking about competing in the Rocky Mountain Senior Winter Games scheduled for February 2010.

The tentative schedule for 2010 is: Pasta dinner, Sunday, Feb 21; ice skating and alpine events, Monday, Feb 22, and the Nordic events for Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010. The pasta dinner and awards will be held at the Senior Center in Frisco Colorado. Mark your calendars and check out the 2009 website for more information on what to expect at the events. http://www.2009seniorgames.org/

For additional info on the senior summer games scheduled for next June: http://www.greeleygov.com/RMSG/default.aspx

Night Skiing at Keystone

The Keystone Ski Resort is the home to Colorado's largest night time skiing experience.

You can enjoy the long groomed runs on Dercum Mountain and the Terrain Park until 8:30 pm.

My sister Paula and her husband, Ken, tried it one night last week and while they found it to be a unique, fun experience, it's also dangerous. It's very hard to see with the shadows cast from the floodlights and the skiers have to dodge the large number of boarders jumping several feet in the air.

The best part of night skiing -- you can use your same day ticket to ski at night. Currently, night skiing is available from Wednesday to Sunday; but check the website as the days will change closer to the end of the season!

Paula came up with a great idea -- if you plan to try night skiing, wear a reflective, fluorescent vest so the other skiers can clearly see you.

Joyfully Alive

Today was my first day on the mountain this ski season which is always physically exhausting.

It was even tougher,both mentally and emotionally, because after I planned the trip to ski today, Jan 13th, on Keystone Mountain,all of a sudden it hit me--exactly 3 years ago on Friday the 13th, I blew out my right knee skiing on a flat trail at Keystone Mountain. It was the most painful injury I've ever had. I had major reconstructive surgery replacing my ACL with a cadaver part. It took 8 months of physical therapy to fully regain use of my right leg.

I seriously considered cancelling the trip because it just felt too deja vu -- skiing on Jan 13th at Keystone with the same group!

Being Italian, I'm just naturally superstitious. Once, when skiing in France, I had that falling dream (you know where you wake up right before you hit the ground). It shook me up so much, that I decided not to ski the next day with the group. Later that night when the ashen-faced group returned, I found out that it had been a terrible day on the mountain. The guide was amazed they made it back with no one seriously injured.

I felt spooked today and was looking for a way out. When I got up this morning, I had a great one as the wind chill temperature on top of the mountain this morning was just 3 degrees and windy!
BUT I decided that I had to overcome my fears about it being Jan 13th and just have some fun. I was so nervous on that first run. I was shaking so much I could hardly make a decent turn, but about half way down the run the thrill of flying down the mountain just took over!
When people ask me, "Why do I ski especially after my accident?" It's simple --the sensation of flying down the mountain makes me feel joyfully alive.

So, fellow Boomers, have you ever thought about what makes you feel joyfully alive? Make a list and promise yourself in 2009 that you will throw your fears in the trash can and have more fun days.

REMEMBER -- It's not our chronological age that makes us feel old, but it's when we stop doing the things we love!

An excellent, easy-to-read book about overcoming fear is "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway" by Dr. Susan Jeffers. http://www.amazon.com/Feel-Fear-Anyway-Susan-Jeffers/dp/0449902927