Guest blog by Lisa Dawson
When you’re chained to a desk during the week, something needs to be done as cross-training for backcountry skiing. I swim before work almost every morning. I love it but to be honest, sometimes it is mind-numbingly boring. Luckily, our public pool blasts loud music overhead and recently the songs have been so perfect that I’ve been zipping through the water. One day this week I swam almost three miles in the time it normally takes to do two.
It’s no secret that good music motivates. After my record breaking swim, I was eager to bring tunes along next time I uphill the ski area. I don’t have an iPod so I tucked a small radio in my pack. On a sunny day, I snuck away at lunch, clipped into my Dynafits, and dialed in. Our local stations are usually great but this particular afternoon, each song was slower than the last. It made me feel like I should be trudging through mud, the antithesis of what I wanted. Now I’m motivated to get an mp3 player and take the time to program a mix of upbeat, kick-butt music.
But what to load? I have the type of memory that can’t recall a single title so I’ve got to make a list. For suggestions, I thought of querying folks when I ride the chairlift, but music for downhilling is a lot different than music for uphilling.
Since this is my last day of reign over the blog, let me ask you. What are the best songs for keeping your rhythm on skins and for making you push just a bit harder with each stride?
WildSnow Girl, Lisa Dawson, is the luckiest girl in the world. Also known as Mrs. WildSnow.com, she tests whatever gear she wants. She gives the WildSnow family of websites the feminine voice.
