The Downhill
The Downhill
60-70 miles per hour on skis. One of the most delightful students I 've ever had the pleasure of teaching was never an Olympian, but held the record for the most distance traveled in a downhill over the course of 24 hours. The race is simple. The 24 hours of Aspen. Take a gondola to the top, and ski down as fast as you can. When you reach the bottom, return to the top and do it all over again. For 24 hours straight. Nobody's ever done it faster, or traveled further.
Thing is, like Lindsey Kildow, she finally crashed. Kildow got up to race again. So did the defending champion. Katie McBride was broken by her crash. Partially paralyzed. Partially blinded. All for a vicious run down a mountain.
What is the motivation? How can someone choose to come so close to death in the name of sport? Katie could easily be dead, but she lives on. With her lives some manner of spirit that I can only imagine. She had some primal need to risk her life.
There was little to gain- nobody covers the 24 Hours of Aspen.
Then again, nobody ever skied it like Katie.
Is this the reason we live? Do we live to lead lives that have some moment that no one else can surpass? What mark do we leave? What is our legacy?
And what will we risk to leave an impression behind? That is the question. It is not "to be or not to be." That is not the question. To live. To truly live as if each moment was the most important one we have to offer.
I choose to go at it with passion, take no prisoners, and leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of what my own legacy might be.
60-70 miles per hour on skis. One of the most delightful students I 've ever had the pleasure of teaching was never an Olympian, but held the record for the most distance traveled in a downhill over the course of 24 hours. The race is simple. The 24 hours of Aspen. Take a gondola to the top, and ski down as fast as you can. When you reach the bottom, return to the top and do it all over again. For 24 hours straight. Nobody's ever done it faster, or traveled further.
Thing is, like Lindsey Kildow, she finally crashed. Kildow got up to race again. So did the defending champion. Katie McBride was broken by her crash. Partially paralyzed. Partially blinded. All for a vicious run down a mountain.
What is the motivation? How can someone choose to come so close to death in the name of sport? Katie could easily be dead, but she lives on. With her lives some manner of spirit that I can only imagine. She had some primal need to risk her life.
There was little to gain- nobody covers the 24 Hours of Aspen.
Then again, nobody ever skied it like Katie.
Is this the reason we live? Do we live to lead lives that have some moment that no one else can surpass? What mark do we leave? What is our legacy?
And what will we risk to leave an impression behind? That is the question. It is not "to be or not to be." That is not the question. To live. To truly live as if each moment was the most important one we have to offer.
I choose to go at it with passion, take no prisoners, and leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of what my own legacy might be.
posted by Tim Hillman at 7:09 PM
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