If you read my bio you know that I compete in three-event barefoot waterskiing. Our three events are wake slalom, tricks, and jump — all done on our feet! Before you tune out because you aren’t interested in (or familiar with) barefoot waterskiing, let me say this: my story is your story. Barefooting may be a fringe sport, but as women and athletes we have a lot in common.
As a 2012 sponsored athlete, I’ve decided to make my contribution to the Chi blog a series that chronicles my journey to the Barefoot Waterski World Championships to be held in Waco, Texas this coming August. My journey to the world championships this summer isn’t going to be pretty due to a shoulder surgery I had in September 2011. I’m currently four months into the most horrible surgery and rehab experience I’ve ever had, compared to the experiences I’ve had with my other surgeries. Since many people are unfamiliar with barefoot waterskiing, I’ll begin this “chapter” with some background about the sport and how I got involved before I describe where I am now and where I need to be by August.
MAKING THE COMMITMENT
Unless you’ve tried it, it is hard to imagine the exhilarating feeling of standing on the water at 41 mph. Yes, 41 mph. The speed a person skis at depends on several factors such as their weight, the event they are skiing, and whether they are skiing forwards or backwards. Most adults ski at speeds of over 40 mph. I’ve settled in at 41 mph for everything except wake slalom, which I ski at 44 mph. People always ask me if it hurts to barefoot. The answer is no. Aside from the blisters I’ve gotten on my feet from skiing on warm water or from the boat going too fast, barefooting doesn’t hurt. Barefoot falls, on the other hand, are a completely different story. They hurt. Barefooting is a sport that offers “instant feedback” when you make a mistake. One wrong move and you suddenly feel as though you’ve been hit by a truck. We have names for our falls: the eye peeler, the scorpion, the yard sale, the faceplant… the list goes on. (To view some barefoot crashes, check out the videos page at www.toesup.us.) But part of the exhilaration of barefooting comes from knowing you are always on the edge of disaster; a small change in how your foot glides on the water can result in catching a toe or a heel, leading to one of the falls I described above.
So why would I get involved with such a brutal sport? Sparing the depressing details, I got into barefooting in my 30s when I was at a very low point in my life. Given the challenge of the sport, and that I seemed to be pretty good at it, barefooting quickly became a source of strength and confidence for me. My commitment to the sport broke some bad habit patterns in my life and directed my attention toward taking better care of myself, both mentally and physically. For the first time in my life I was committed to working out and being the best athlete I could be. I went from frequent binge drinking to being an occasional light drinker. Granted, I’m still addicted to coffee and sweets… but hey, we all have our vices.
RENEWING THE COMMITMENT
I am an age division skier who has been on the brink of breaking into the “open,” an ability-based division, for a few years now. Injuries keep holding me back. I cannot begin to express how mentally challenging it is to be so close so many times, only to have to start over again after surgery and rehab. Since I’ve started to barefoot I’ve had three surgeries, each of them placing a piece of metal in my body. Surgery by surgery I am slowly becoming a robot. It’s gotten to the point that my husband calls me “The Larsonator.”
Due to my injuries I’ve started from scratch several times, meaning that after I’ve had a few months off to heal I am completely out of shape and mentally disengaged from my sport. Currently, this is where I stand. I haven’t worked out since September and I haven’t thought about skiing because my mind is filled with anxiety from the pain I am experiencing and fear that this surgery was unsuccessful. The worst part is realizing that the clock is ticking. The world championships are seven months away and I can hardly do a push up! Right now, I have to stop making excuses for not going to the gym and start making time for my workouts again. I have to reengage mentally and start planning how I am going to reach the goals I’ve set for myself. Unfortunately, as I’ve become a better skier over the years, this type of comeback has become a longer process and is harder to accomplish.
At some point every athlete has to start from scratch, whether you are trying something for the first time or encounter circumstances that interrupt your flow and take you away from your sport for a while. No matter who you are, no matter what the circumstances, somewhere within you is the ability to begin, or as in my case, to begin again. You have the drive to achieve anything you set your sights upon. I tell myself this every day lately. I have to dig much deeper to find my drive this time, partly because I’m sick of starting from scratch and partly because my shoulder isn’t healing well. Only time will tell the latter, but in the meantime I must continue working through the mental battle of rehab and forcing myself to get back on track.
By March, I hope to be healed and in an adequate physical condition to get cleared to ski. By May, I hope to be back in pre-surgery shape and ready to train on the water every day. My first competition is in June, and by then I hope to be back to where I was when I competed in September before my surgery. If I can achieve these things, I will be in good shape going into the worlds this August. Stay tuned!
TERI LARSON JONES wasn’t an athlete until she reached her mid-30s. Today, her sport of choice is barefoot waterskiing, widely considered to be waterskiing’s ultimate challenge. She started competing for fun in 2003, but it wasn’t until she skied in the 2009 Senior World Championships held in Otaki, New Zealand, that she became serious... more »
How inspiring! Best of luck at the Worlds!!
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Go Teri! We’ll be cheering you on!!
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Teri
I can’t relate in anyway to your waterskiing. You ski on your feet, I can’t even get up on one ski,but I do relate to starting from scratch. I put on 20lbs after having my first child and afterward I was able to lose 10 of that. Now after baby number 2 I’m looking at myself in the mirror and wondering how I got here. I weigh 40lbs more that before my first child. I used to run 5k’s, play volleyball and bike on a regular basis. Just knowing that us normal people aren’t the only one’s that need to start from scratch is a huge relief. I’ve just started back a the gym for my New Years resolution to lose the 40lbs (it’s too cold to run here in the winter). You’re story gave me the inspiration to stop the excuses and get to the gym. I hope your shoulder heals and look forward to your “Chi”
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Teri: I found your story incredibly inspiring! Thank you for sharing it with all of us and for your candor!
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Teri, I hope you are healed and ready for the Worlds by August. I’ve always been fascinated with barefoot waterskiing after I saw an article years ago about an older gentleman called the “Barefootin’ Banana.” I’m always amazed at what athletes are capable of – look forward to reading about your journey.
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You are a Warrior Terri! You have inspired me, as I too am passionate about racing/ competing & have had many hurtles get in the way– injury, responsibilities to my family, work, illness, surgery..
I HEAR YOU!! Keep that positive vibe & rise like a Phoenix again & again– it sounds like you have that dialed! Life would be so boring if we did not have passions & goals to try for! For me, it hurts more to NOT race, than to pop a painkiller, go for it even though I am not in the shape I hoped for when the race date arrived, or as mentally confident as before.
All competitors who compete enough know there are those events when you are less than on your game– but there is always the next race/competition to train for! Stay fit as much as you can & give yourself some grace. You are only human. Keep your mind healthy, & the body will follow.
YOUR DAY WILL COME!!!
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You are an inspiration to all! I am not an extreme athlete, just a woman in my forties trying to start over, one more time. Like you, I have reached peak shape (for me, a lot different than for you!), only to be set back to mile one by injuries. More than the physical fallout, comes the mental wall of doubt and defeat. I am inspired by your story, and will think of you as I try to remember ” a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”-again.
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Hi Teri, Thank you so much for sharing your story. This is so inspiring. You’ve done it before, and you can do it again. Make sure you have an incredible PT who knows your goals and will help you get there. Best wishes for a speedy return! ~ Ariele
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You’re my inspiration! So thankful that our paths connected– you spur me on because “I wanna be like Teri on the water!”
Sending you some healing vibes. I have NO DOUBT that you’ll kick butt on the water this summer. Can’t wait to watch you!
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Teri – I totally get the starting from scratch after multiple surgeries. I still haven’t been released to swim after my last surgery. Thankfully, I should be getting released soon and then, like you, I’ve got to start all over. Thankfully, swimming comes back pretty quickly, but I’m trying to get motivated to get back in the pool. Hang in there and, as one Wisconsin girl to another, — Go, Badgers!!!
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Teri, Thanks for the inspiration. I am a runner who started again in my early 40s. I started again in April 2011 and in the last 10 months have pulled groin muscles pretty severely. I haven’t run now in about 5 weeks. I was hoping at this point into 2012 that I would be ready for a couple of easy 5Ks in March/April and a 10K in May/June and be working toward a half marathon in October. Now I’m starting from scratch. At this point I’m finding it hard to even get motivated to get back to the training (the cold weather isn’t helping any either), but I keep the big goal in mind. It’s nice to know that I am not alone and that there are others who struggle with starting from scratch. Hope you will continue to heal, and that we will both be back training really soon.
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So excited to watch you this year!
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I can’t wait to see you kick booty all over Waco, TX this August! From one reconstructed shoulder athlete to another – all the best for a successful return to 100% strength, stability, and ROM!
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Thanks, everyone for your comments…your support…your empathy…everything! Reading your comments brought tears to my eyes. I’m so grateful to be part of this community! I’ll be writing an update soon!
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