Racer ready and in the gate <br />seeing your breath <br />as you breathe deeply and wait <br />Confirmation on the radio <br />the course is clear <br /> <br />Looking downhil at the course <br />and feeling your heart beat <br />adrenalin rushing from head to feet <br />Telling yourself to keep your turns <br />tight and neat <br /> <br />Adgust goggles and regrip poles <br />scanning the white snowy course <br />Feeling the cold as you wait <br />Gates set left and right <br />Here's the count....Three, two.. <br />(bend knees, sink back) ....one <br /> <br />GO! ! <br />Spring forward over your skis <br />Launch with your poles and arms <br />as your knees push the timer wand <br />clock ticks as you skate hard <br />eye the first gate and carve <br />Your ski edge bites the snow <br /> <br />Propel to the right and sight the <br />gate pole you'll slap with your fist back <br />look downhill to the left as you round the gate <br />fling your body sharply toward the next turn <br /> <br />You're moving so quickly that the gates are too <br />You've got to fight to stay ahead <br />picking your lines and cutting off the turns <br />but the rhythm is just right <br />a blur of motion, color and white <br />the only sounds heard: <br />The rushing of wind and the chatter of skis <br />as your quads begin to burn <br />and you're breathless <br /> <br />Rush and skate through the finish line beam <br />look up at your time <br />skid to a stop as your skis chatter an edges bite <br />look up at the sun and catch your breath <br />steaming in the winter air <br /> <br />2008 © James T. Adair<br /><br />JAMES T. ADAIR<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ski-race/
