Here, one writer shares how taking up cross-country skiing with her partner brought them closer than ever.
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But, slow and steady, I had a smile plastered across my face.
And thats a sentence Id never thought Id write.
…
My partner waited patiently waiting at the bottom of the hill.
He mountain bikes when I hike.
He snowboards through the trees as I ski scenic intermediate routes in the open.
He runs while I…dont.
While we individually fell in love with the sport, it ultimately brought us closer together.
Sure, we were novices at the sport, but we were novicestogether.
And we were hooked.
My fingers were numb when we reached the top of the chairlift.
Uncomfortable and nervous, I took a break in a mid-mountain hut while my partner made a few runs.
…
But allI felt was pressure to enjoy somethingand guilt that I just… wasnt.
This wasnt the first time I felt this way as a result of downhill skiing.
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(Sometimes we wear them all day, our friend casually told us.)
My first impressions were positive, but I was a slightly sweating bundle of nerves.
We were suited up and ready to get going with our first cross-country skiing experience.
The tracks kept everything aligned and more stable as I worked to find a rhythm with the poles.
The same snow that bit at me on the mountain added a background sparkle and softness.
The ultra-lightweight, narrow, and slippery skis were different to but not wholly unfamiliar.
Without the edge, every rolling hill became daunting.
A turn at the bottom of a hill?
It was as if two clumsy penguins were picking each other up after consecutive wipeouts.
I also found myself enjoying the full-body workout.
Using my arms andengaging my corefelt good and balanced compared to how much legwork I was doing.
(Endorphinscertainly amplified things.)
Despite the bruises and soreness, we kept trying.
Honestly, I felt closer to my partner, like we had more in common.
It was so satisfying to do this new outdoor winter sporttogether.
We can just… glidemuch like the way cross-country skiing glided right into our hearts.
…
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