Try the Ski Suit on Before you Get to the Hill! - "When what's in Your Closet has shrunk"

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I dusted off the old skis, found something to keep my ears warm, borrowed my kid's gloves; pull on my old long johns and a pair of sweatpants. Grabbed some sun glasses and something that will keep me warm till I get up to the hill. I pulled out that old one piece ski suit and I was off. It's mid-winter and I am planning to spend this Wednesday up on the mountain as Wednesdays are Ladies Day. The price of a lift ticket includes a lesson, lunch and a day in god's fresh air.

I am thinking, as I drive up to the hill, that I probably should have gone to a few of those Pilates classes to strengthen and stretch those underused muscle but hey I am a mom. What better training could there be for a day on the slopes. Running up and down the stairs 25 times a day should be training enough. I have wanted to have this day for a few years now and keep hearing the local radio station talk about these Women of Wonder on the slopes every Wednesday. A day to feel like you did when you were in your early 20's, able to make a decision without considering your family's needs first, to be able to eat your lunch while it's still hot and possibly have a glass of wine with that. Wow I am getting excited now.

I get up to the hill and find lots of parking available, great - this mid-week skiing really is the way to go. Now let's get suited up and go get my lift ticket. I pull that 7 year old one piece suit out of my ski bag, the one that I wore BK (before kids) and pull it on. It feels a bit snug so I decide to take off that extra sweatshirt. It's a nice day so I probably won't need that extra warmth. I say to myself, hey I have the PBFA (personal body fat advantage). Well lets take off those sweat pants too, Lord knows I will really want all the freedom I can get so hitting those bumps will feel awesome. Geeze it's still a bit snug but I get that zipper up. Ok now the boots, got em on and the true test is to be able to bend over and get those boots buckled up. OK I got my girlfriend to bend over and do my boots up. I'm going to be standing most of the day anyways. Off I go. I think my feet have gained a bit of weight too, I just don't remember them hurting this much before. My keen memory forgets that I used to ski with a wine skin. Nothing hurt in my 20's.

To say I felt like I was in a straight jacket, correction, straight suit. Upper and lower body is so constricted I start feeling light headed, but I put that off to the altitude. Wow the price of tickets has really gone up! But it does include lunch and the kids will just have to do with more macaroni next week. Off to the chair lift. For the first time in my life I look like a life size version of Barbie, you know the Barbie that can't bend her legs. Mind you I don't have her waist line, long blonde hair or pointy toes. My 200cm skis that used to be cool are now archaic and wouldn't be so obvious if it were not for the florescent purple and pink colour. Ah the 80's. Hey bonus I don't even need the foot rest on the chairlift as the tightness of the suit I am squeezed into forces my legs out without the ability to bend at my knees.

At the top I decide that I best warm up with a blue run, those black diamond runs will have to wait till next run. Within 30 seconds I realize I must have taken a wrong turn and I am now on a black run, (truth- it's a green run) as these bumps and the vertical drop seems a bit daunting. I remembered my first ever lesson, when in doubt, just sit down and slide down the hill. And I would, if I could actually bend my knees. So I opt for option 2 Zig Zag down the run trying not to look so un-cool as the other women up for the day zip past you in there shape skis and shape bodies.

If I could describe what it was like to finally get to the bottom 2 hours later and make the decision to go into the lodge to warm up my frozen body and numb limbs (that's what no circulation does). I can only have you picture this: Undoing my suit that day in front of a Mountain Resort Lodge full of beautiful people was like cutting open a bag of pink insulation. Talk about entering a room. So the moral of the story is: If you choose to hit the slopes this year, try the suit on before you leave with enough time for you to go shopping just in case the suit has shrunk. Have a great time on the slopes this year.