My name is Zoli Polony, and I really like to ski. During the winter time, I go upstate every weekend to do race training with my friends at Hunter Mountain. I have been skiing since I was two years old and am very experienced. In this photo essay I will show you what an average day of ski training looks like. There are two main types of ski training done at Hunter Mountain: race training and freestyle training. I will also interview a freestyler to get accurate data on what an average day in freestyle training looks like.
As a race trainer, I wake up at 7:00 am in the morning and head downstairs to eat a nutritious breakfast that usually consists of eggs, sausages, bacon and more. By 7:50 I have finished breakfast and head into the mudroom to get dressed. Every morning I put on my back protector, speed suit, pants, boots, vest, jacket, helmet and gloves. I’m usually done by 8:10 and ready to leave the house. I arrive at the mountain by 8:30. I unpack my skis and poles off the roof and meet up with my teammates next to the chairlift. By 8:45 we finish our first warm up run and head over to a race course that is usually set either on the north side or the main line. If it’s a Saturday, we are doing slalom courses, and if it’s a Sunday, we are doing giant slalom courses. From 9:00-11:30 we do training with our friends on the course with very few free runs. The morning schedule for a racer is clearly very difficult as they spend 3 hours training and are healthy as they get to socialize and eat a balanced breakfast.
From a ski racers perspective, the normal afternoon looks like this. At 12:30, my friends and I go into the main lodge for lunch. We find a table that can fit all of us and grab lunch from the cafeteria. From 11:30-1:00 we eat lunch that we either buy from the cafeteria or bring from home.
At 1:00 we head back out and meet the rest of our team by the chairlift line. From 1:00-1:15 we ride back up the chairlift and ski down to our course that was set during the morning. We train on the course from 1:15-2:30. At 2:30 we help pull the course together, and we pull the gates and B-netting out of the ground, roll them up, and leave them at the bottom of the run. At 2:45 we take the chairlift up and ski down to the bottom of the mountain where our parents will pick us up. The afternoon for a ski racer includes eating a nutritious meal and doing more training with their team to further their skills.
The night from a ski racer’s perspective usually varies but mainly goes like this. About 50 percent of the time, after a ski day the ski racer normally meets up with their friends at their house from 3:00-6:00.
From 6:00-8:00 the racer’s family usually stay at home and cooks dinner, but sometimes they go out and eat dinner at a local restaurant. From 8:00-10:00 the racer’s family would watch a movie together and then from 10:00-11:00 the racer would go to sleep. The ski racer’s night is healthy as it includes socializing with friends and eating a healthy dinner, as well as hanging out with their family.
After interviewing a competitive freestyle skier, I have figured out and will be able to share what the average day looks like for a freestyler at Hunter Mountain. The morning for a freestyler usually starts at around 7:00 when they wake up. They have a nutritious breakfast that mainly consists of eggs and other breakfast foods. By 8:00 they finish eating and go into the mudroom to get their gear on which includes a back brace, ski pants, thermals, a vest, a jacket, helmet and mittens. They get to the mountain at 8:20 and meet with their group by 8:30 from 8:30 to 9:45 they do warm up runs down the main line.
By 10:00 the training course has been set and they either head to upper K27 or 42nd street to do their mogul course. The course they run consists of a long set of moguls then one 3-4 foot jump followed by another long set of moguls with another 3-4 foot jump and then one final long set of moguls. They run that course from 10:00 to 11:30 when they head in for lunch. The morning for a freestyle skier is very similar to that of a racer. They both eat nutritious breakfasts, train on their courses, and go in for lunch at the same times which also makes the freestylers morning very healthy and nutritious.
The afternoon from the perspective of a freestyle skier is also similar to that of a racer. From 11:30-12:20 they either get food from the lodge cafeteria or bring their own lunch from home.
They eat their lunch and then by 12:20 they meet with their group outside next to the competition center and head out skiing by 12:30. From 12:30 to 1:30 they ski over to the freestyle course and train on it by practicing their jumps and new tricks. At 1:30 to 1:40 they open up the run that the freestyle course is on to the public but block off the actual course so that only freestylers can use it.
From 1:40 to 2:30 they free ski around the mountain and do drills to enhance their skills. At 2:40 they get in the car and head home. From 2:45 to 3:00 they get undressed and into normal clothes. From 3:30 to 6:00 they will usually meet up with their friends either at one of their houses or in town. The afternoon of a freestyler is very similar to the afternoon as a racer. They socialize with their friends and eat a healthy lunch as well as participating in lots of training and drills.
The night in the perspective of a freestyler is once again similar to a racers. At 6:00 they either head home after being with their friends or stay till 8:00
If they head home they will meet up with their family and either cook dinner at home or eat out. If they eat dinner at home they will usually finish at 7:00 but if the freestyler eats out they will probably arrive home at around 7:30. From 7:30 to 9:30 they will either watch a movie with their family and friends.
At around 10:30 they go to bed and go to sleep. From 11:00 to 7:00 they go to sleep and wake up for the next day. The night from a freestylers perspective is very similar to the racers as they continue to socialize with friends and eat a healthy dinner.
As I have shown you throughout this photo essay what the day in the life of someone ski training is they have been very similar.
The days of freestyler and racer every day are almost identical except for the type of training. Both groups are healthy as they eat good meals and get lots of exercise as well as spend quality time with their friends and family. If you are ever thinking of choosing a ski group to join, you can use this essay to see which group suits you the best.
