Jit's Journal: It's time to rest and reflect

By Published On: April 9th, 2007Comments Off on Jit's Journal: It's time to rest and reflect

The end of the season has finally come. The U.S nationals are officially over and done with, and for the first time since November I find myself with a long break to rest my body and mind from ski racing.
    It has been a long year for me because I consider the day after the surgery on my knee the beginning. Since then, I have spent countless hours in the gym and on the bike mapping out my future as a ski racer. I’ve set foot in more countries than I can count on both hands and I have raced in World Championships, World Cups, Europa Cups and NorAm Cups. I’ve broken through barriers to my goals and accomplished a dream to see myself reinstated as a ski racer who deserves the right to be on the US. Ski Team. It has truly been a long road, but I am a better person for it and I never forget that it is a privilege.
THE END OF THE SEASON has finally come. The U.S nationals are officially over and done with, and for the first time since November I find myself with a long break to rest my body and mind from ski racing.
    It has been a long year for me because I consider the day after the surgery on my knee the beginning. Since then, I have spent countless hours in the gym and on the bike mapping out my future as a ski racer. I’ve set foot in more countries than I can count on both hands and I have raced in World Championships, World Cups, Europa Cups and NorAm Cups. I’ve broken through barriers to my goals and accomplished a dream to see myself reinstated as a ski racer who deserves the right to be on the US. Ski Team. It has truly been a long road, but I am a better person for it and I never forget that it is a privilege.
    I look back on the things I have learned this year and feel that I have grown in many ways, but I also recognize that sometimes I learned things about myself that I already knew were there. Sometimes ski racing is more than just the victories or the losses; it’s about discovering who you are and what you are capable of, not just on the hill but in life. You have to stick to your guns and make things happen, not wait for them to happen.
    Returning home for the final time this year, I unpacked my bags one last time. I pulled out the World Cup bibs that I had been collecting from my various races throughout the year. As I pulled the bibs out, each one brought back memories from that particular race. Some made me think of pleasant moments and others made me cringe. When I pulled out the bib from World Championships in Are, Sweden, I thought about the feeling I had standing in the finish after completing my second run, and as I looked at all the people in the stands I realized that the dream I had of being a ski racer when I was a kid had come true. So it is with that thought that I leave you for the summer.
    I’ve been writing Jit’s Journal now for almost three years. Through this writing I am able to tell you about my journeys and experiences. You were there when I came off a winning season as a junior only to blow my knee out and sit on the sidelines the next. This year you followed me as I described to you what it feels like to return from injury, race in your first World Cups, live in Europe, to win and to lose. I write about these things to free my mind from the stresses that can stay buried, but also for the next generation of ski racers looking to be on the U.S. Ski Team. I want them to understand that there is more to it than just making the team. There is a process there that all must go through. This experience is different for everyone but I hope you find in me a kindred spirit through which you can relate. 'Till next season.

— Jit

Thanks to my sponsors for their support:
Dynastar skis
Lange boots
Swix poles
Uvex helmets and goggles

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About the Author: Pete Rugh