Skiing Through Pain

Molly on the right

Just a week before JOs, I fell skiing and injured my shin and calf. I convinced myself it was just temporary but JOs got closer and closer and I was still unable to put my leg into a boot. My mom wanted to pull me out of the race completely but I had worked all season toward it so I pleaded and convinced her I would be fine. We left for the race, uncertain that I would be able to compete but hopeful. I skied only the inspections and race runs but my leg was still blue after the first two days of racing and I only managed with pain medications. I was in tears after my Super G inspection because the chances of my being able to race were slim, but after having a long talk with my coach, it was decided I would race. My coach center mounted my bindings so I would be able to bend the ski with less ankle flexion. I placed 11th in the Super G. Not the result I was hoping for but I was amazed I was even able to race.

I was very unlucky with my bib draw for slalom. For a reason I don’t understand, I was placed in second seed and had the last bib draw for second seed girls. The course was very turny and the snow was soft so by bib 31, the course was already in awful condition. The run was very painful and it was as if I was skiing on one leg. I made lots of costly errors, landing me an 18th for the run. I had a good starting position for the next run so in turn, I had a good course. I was learning more and more about skiing through pain and that helped me on the second slalom run, which I won by a second. I moved up to 7th place. The GS was cancelled because of snow condition, much to my dismay.

After returning from JOs, it was still almost a week before I could ski again (still in some discomfort) so I entered Snow Cup (GS) and Last Chance (slalom) both open series with no training for several weeks. I placed fourth on the first Snow Cup race but I was not happy with my skiing. I was in 6th place after the first run of the second race but the times were very stacked. Not very far into my next run, I ran into some course workers for the second time this season. I went around for a rerun but the lift took a long time so it was not till about 30 racers later that I reached the top. The sun was beating down, making the snow slower and slower and the ruts bigger and bigger. I still managed a 5th place despite the course interference.

The Last Chance slaloms went very well though. I placed second on the first day after winning the second run. I placed third the second day. I scored a 51 and a 55 point result, giving me a slalom point average of 53. This qualifies me for the Park City A Team, one of my top goals for the season. What an up and down month!

.)) Molly Leavens