Stepping into change! More?

Well, I've taken a while to write more about my boot experience.  Found myself wondering how anyone could remain interested in the fit of a ski boot or the impact of the fit.   Then again, the journey's been real for me, so since you've suffered through this with me so far, here we go I guess.

Headlines:

I've learned a ton:  What?, I'll share

I've questioned excellence more than ever: How, I'll share...

After 20 days, finally found center.   Now the real work begins.

Even with these headlines, the specifics on fit, may put you to sleep... bare with me please...

What I've learned:

Listen to my own intuition!   Be a client as well as a consultant!   I'm successful because I follow my gut as much as I listen to advise and study on my own with great intensity.  These darn boots have created a great wake up call in their own right about how to track what's uh, right.  By right I mean, effective.

I've had a number of knowledgeable ski gurus tell me I needed this change in fit.   It ends up after the fact most are wrong.  Why?  Only because, advise was given me from what now, after the fact, I realize was superficial information.  The info?   Observation of movement, observation of stance from a distance and only in loose fitting ski gear.   After the fact, I realize that no one that offered advise, no one, ask me about my bio mechanics or medical physiology.  I was simply told, "you need to change your alignment to stand differently."   

Okay, these are my coaches, my consultants if you will.  I had better listen right?   The feedback's been given consistently for a couple years at least.

It ends up after the fact, that finally, I went back to my amazing boot fitter, the one the only, Larry Houchen of Larry's Boot Fitting in Boulder.   You know, "Where's Larry?" Larry.    Larry takes one look at my stance after skiing on these darn boots for 10 days and asks, I paraphrase, "what the heck is happening with your alignment?"  

Cut to the chase, Larry and I worked through the fit again, now having lived in agony for days and frankly, fear from the fit.   He put me in shorts, and we talked about the myriad injuries that try to get in my way moving effectively.   At the end of 4 hours of one on one work, I have a 180 degree different fit, from one boot to the other.  Imagine the flaps on a airplane, one's up, one's down.  Hmmm, this set up actually makes me go straight and from side to side, more easily.  Go figure.   

If you know anything about boots this data may make sense if you don't, let it go... no worries.   Point of the story is the left boot is set as designed, almost flat, slightly negative, 1 degree up from heel to toe.  4 degree gas peddle (lift in the toes to create dorsiflection); on the right is the real game: 1/4 inch lift in the sole thanks to a shorter leg from so many times breaking it; then a 4 degree heel lift, instead of negative, ramped down from heel to arch; then back up with a matching 4 degree gas peddle, all this with a straight cuff.  This simply doesn't make sense except it makes my alignment flat and dare I say, close to perfect.     

What's the point, all this wacky fitting and frustration's taught me two things:

1. Ask more questions always, even if the data looks and feels clear, verify... never take for granted that what looks obvious is.  

2. Likely even when something's simple, real solution is not usually easy.   

My offering: Really listen to goals, then be Larry, dig deeper, look into the data more... be a partner in the fit.

What's shifted?   Boots fitting right has now opened up an opportunity to move to the next level of ability.  I can now really move my alignment in a centered way, over my feet, not behind them, and stacked on my skeleton.  The shift provides power and much more effective movement.   All this came, not because of a "simple answer" of a straight boot cuff or foot bed, but from hard work, digging deeper and then fine tuning.

The sad part is that although the boots are doing what they're supposed to now, they're still white.   They look fast, very fast.

More soon!

Comments

[Oxy]

I was wondering what the changes were... So I raced to the computer to see what your article was about. Thanks!

[rudy miick]

Thanks for racing there! Did you get something to "hold on to?" to take away for yourself?