STRENGTH ON THE NORDIC SKI TRACK

BY GUNTHER OTT

I'M an avid Nordic skier. I've been skiing for seven years, and for me it's pure joy. There's a quote from the movie Chariots of Fire that refers to praising God and goes like this: "... when I run, I feel His pleasure." This perfectly mirrors how I feel on the ski track: When I ski, I feel God's pleasure. When I compete in Nordic, life feels boundless. I've always found that Christian Science helps me in Nordic—I always turn to God before races to remind myself of my spiritual perfection. I visualize the upcoming race, and replace any doubts by affirming that I express spiritual ideas, such as strength and grace.

I first got involved in Nordic when I was nine years old. Several of my friends got involved, and I was curious about the sport. Nordic has a strong program in Durango, Colorado, where I live, and there are lots of reputable coaches in the area, so I decided to jump on board. Nordic skiing is not an easy sport. It involves cross-country, ski jumping, and other events, and is often very taxing. With uphill and downhill courses, it demands a high level of strength and agility. To be successful, I've had to learn to overcome physical and mental weakness.

I compete in the Rocky Mountain Nordic division, or RMN, one of the fiercest in the US. At times the workouts can be quite challenging, especially before big races. During the last season, I strove to qualify for the Cross-Country Junior National Olympics. The competition was to be held in Truckee, California, and only the top nine skiers in my division would be able to go there to compete. Those nine would make up the Rocky Mountain Nordic Ski Team, representing our division at the Junior Nationals. At the end of our regular season, I was right on the edge of achieving this honor. I'd had a strong season, but there were two other guys who were nipping at my tail in all the races. My place in the standings was precarious.