Talons Challenge
Two years ago, I had my sights set for participating in the Talons Challenge at Beaver Creek. I had skied 13/15 days and was in the best shape of my life. But then the Universe got my attention on January 5, 2017 and put my life on a different path—the path of recovery from a traumatic brain injury #TBI, which of course cancelled everything I had planned in my life and the only focus was recovery. Once I was well enough to think clearly, I adopted the following mantra to my life: 2017 is all about physical recovery; 2018 (and beyond) is all about financial recovery.
The neurologist cleared me to return to high-risk sports like bicycling and skiing late in 2017. I took my first day on skis in November 2017, ten months after the no-fall ski incident in which I suffered the invisible injury of a closed head injury. That day was a day of nerves and excitement which I captured in a video as I rode the gondola up the mountain at Keystone Resort. I skied a handful of times in 2017. The snowfall wasn’t particularly good last season, so I resumed to tennis and played a lot of tennis during the winter because the weather was more conducive to outdoor tennis than a winter sport. When the winter ended, I reserved my unrestricted Epic Pass for Vail Resorts and had my mind made up I was going to ski in 2018/2019 and participate in the Talons Challenge.
The Talons Challenge was this past Saturday, February 23. I took first chair ride up at 8:52 AM and completed just before the last chair quit on Grouse Mountain for the day and made it to the check out tent to pick up my prize for completing the challenge. The Talons Challenge consists of completing 14 of the steepest and toughest terrain Beaver Creek has to offer including diamond and double black diamond runs with an advertised 26,226 vertical feet—in a single day!
This winter ski season I have skied Beaver Creek eight different days skiing almost all of the runs in the Talons Challenge. I went out and skied Thursday, two days before the event getting close to 11,000 vertical feet in a few hours to get back on the slopes after a few weeks away.
The day of the event
I had friends at my side skiing with me during the event and my boyfriend, who is recovering from shoulder surgery so couldn’t ski with us, was the chief support on the ground providing skier drop-off and pick-up as well as roustabout at the condo, Lucy’s companion for the day, and so much more. Every strong team needs a strong pit crew and he may have only been one person, but his duties indeed helped us tremendously.
At 11 AM, we took a little break and were fortunate they announced lunch was ready and were the first ones through the lunch line, where I inhaled my food. We were already half way through our vertical feet at this point but only four runs completed. With fuel re-energizing us, we continued to check runs off our ticket. At ten to three, we had two runs left. As we overheard the emcee call out winning numbers for swag, we mounted the Grouse Mountain Express two more times. Tired but determined, I doubled down my mental commitment and dug even deeper into a physical storehouse so the legs would get me safely down. With fatigued muscles, I reduced my overall speed. This close to the finish I did not want to fall and hurt myself as is often the case when people ski with fatigued muscles. My friend and I faced Ruffed Grouse and Ptarmigan the final two runs with their moguls but that did not deter me.
Digging deep
At the top of the final run, I knew I had to be extremely careful as I wanted to complete the Challenge without any falls or injuries, and I knew the completion would be extremely rewarding. When I skied down to the finish area, the feeling of accomplishment gave me a rush of energy I wasn’t expecting. Even though my legs had moments where the burn was intense, I was surprised at how strong my legs felt. I was incredibly relieved to have the ski boots off and my feet in snow boots. The plantar fasciitis pain I’ve had since the summer was more problematic than the burn in the quads.
Goal accomplished
I’ve accomplished many goals since my brain injury two years ago. Some goals were small on paper but big in real life while other goals like completing this challenge were monumental. Early after my injury, I had weekly occupational therapy goals so I could walk without listing to the left and physical therapy goals to help with the extreme vertigo and dizziness. I set out to complete this monster goal of completing the Talons Challenge and I’m delighted I did it. The morning of the event and the days leading up to it, I said to myself and others I would feel like it was a success getting however many runs in as possible. To actually complete the challenge is an incredible feat!
Raising funds
A few days before the challenge I had the idea to create a fundraiser for Brain Trust, the organization behind the local brain injury group I and so many others benefit from in the Denver area. This morning as I write this, I have raised $275 from just five donors with a $2000 goal. 96.5% of the funds raised go directly to Brain Trust. This organization gave me a grant to help me with the deposit on my apartment when I was well enough to live independently again and strong enough to begin working so I could earn money once again. Ten months of the year, this organization provides speakers and panelists covering the gamut of life with a brain injury including a healthy lunch. If you are able to donate any amount, please consider it as this group does so much for all of us
The one thing about a brain injury is it can happen to anyone. I never knew how a brain injury can severely impact one’s life and the limitations we face on a daily basis. Tired doesn’t even begin to describe it. Tired to a non-brain injured person is not the same tired to a brain-injured person.
Recovery time and adapting
It’s Monday morning two days after the event. At the 24-hour post-event mark, my quads and knees were sore, and I had no energy left at all. When I fell asleep, I did not wake until this morning. I don’t think I moved at all. Today I am tired. Fatigued. I knew I would not ski yesterday but hoped to ski today. Living with a brain injury means we make decisions at the time of the activity based on how much energy we have at that point in time. Expending energy when there’s not enough for an activity, or in the case of completing the Talons Challenge, depleting the energy means it takes several days to restore energy levels. Our recovery time is greater than a non-brain injured person. If brain-injured people do not rest our symptoms are more pronounced and cause additional problems.
I am going to take a nap now and see how I feel about going out for an hour yet today to enjoy some easy blues on a beautiful blue bird day. We brain-injured people have to be flexible about our activities and choose carefully where we expend our precious energy. Those who love us also learn quickly how important it is to be flexible about plans.
Please donate
Please donate to Brain Trust. So many unsuspecting people may discover they need help from the organization, and your donation helps the group to continue to support those of us who have urgent financial needs based on limitations or with educational information. If you prefer to donate directly to Brain Trust (not through the Facebook fundraiser), please mention Jennifer Taylor Talons Challenge in your donation so they know how you heard about them. Thank you.
Always set goals
Set goals and accomplish them to build your spirit and belief in yourself. Two years ago, I was learning how to do everything again including learning how to walk without listing or falling down. Two days ago, I skied more than 27,000 vertical feet on expert only runs. The power of the mind and believing in yourself is so incredibly important. Whatever challenges you face in your life, believe in being the best version of you you can be and see where that leads you.
