End of Season Letter

To all my Supporters, Friends and Family:

It’s been a tough month for me, wrapping up the remainder of the ski season while trying to figure out what I will be doing in the coming year.

 Lets start off by saying that this past year has been great! My body has overcome any fatigue and overtraining from the previous race season. My energy is back and I know that I did everything that I could in order to make the most of this past season. I had some great races and fun times. For all those who have supported me over the last few years, I can’t thank you enough. CXC took me in as part of their team giving me support, coaching, and an amazing group of people that put a smile on my face and made the sport fun again. Neil Fox with Lifeworks Gym, who helped fix my many weaknesses in strength, flexibility and balance. I highly recommend his program if you are looking to be more efficient in your sport and get the most out of your body.

 Training and racing has been my life for the past 10 years, and I have been fortunate enough to live it exactly how I wanted to. This past month however, the urge to complete yet another year of training as a professional athlete has been a bit daunting. Its a feeling that I have been fighting with, which I think is a pretty good sign that it is time for a break. I’m not saying that my love for the sport and is gone; I just think that physically and more important, mentally, a break will be good for me.

 Its tough, because I know I still love the sport and the lifestyle, and I REALLY don’t want to say that my dream to be my best, and maybe one day make it to the Olympics is gone… Because its not! I just need a bit of a breather. I need a chance to live a little as a non-athlete, and enjoy some other things in life. I plan on doing some different things this summer, staying active of course, but not completely focusing on training as I normally do. I would like to try and “keep a foot in the door” so to speak, to racing and the ski world. I know that after 10 years of training and racing my body is NOT going to forget how to compete as a cross-country skier. Come fall, if that drive to race and compete comes back, I know that one summer of non-focused training will not put much of a dent into my overall development as a skier.

 I think this is the right decision and whatever happens down the road, I’m hoping that good things will come out of this and lead me to where I want to go. Thanks again to everyone in my life who has helped me get this far.

 Sincerely,
 Sara Hewitt

-This is a poem written by a former Alpine Racer, Shona Rubens who has recently taken a different direction in life, away from racing. I think it has a good message and helps describe, somewhat to what I am feeling right now:

 New Chapters

 There are some moments in your life

 When the story's getting old.

 It's not that it is boring, 

But just a little over told. 

 Sometimes the moments creep up slowly 

'Til you can't wait for a change. 

You have lots of time to think 

On exactly how to rearrange. 

 Sometimes they show up blindly

 Like a big slap in the face. 

You crave to shift things quickly 

Without losing too much grace. 

 Either way it's good to listen 

To your heart in these tough times. 

To go on living unfulfilled 

Is one of lifes biggest crimes. 

 So go ahead and make the leap, 

Dive into it head first. 

Think of the good things change will bring, 

Dont dwell upon the worst. 

 The story of this life you live 

is not carved out in stone. 

The lucky author of this book 

is you, and you alone. 

 So dont be scared and turn the page! 

Be courageous and be bold! 

The great next chapter of your life

 Is waiting to unfold. 

 -Shona Rubens