The secret to luging - just lay there

We had the opportunity to go luging at the Utah Olympic Sports park with my sister and brother-in-law last Friday with the Utah Winter Sports. It's a group that offers lessons and events at a reduced rate to get Utah residents interested in trying new winter sports. Chris and I have participated in years past and have really enjoyed learning to snowboard, ski, curling, cross-country skiing and skating. This year I got lucky and booked us spots for luging, an event that fills up lightening fast. We paid $15 for what they usually charge the public $250 to do. It was a steal!




We arrived up in Park City around 8pm and after signing the various waivers for injury and death we were issued helmets and elbow pads and given approximately 5 minutes of instructions. We would start out with two runs around 3 corners and advance to a final run of 5 corners. The first runs you would get up to speeds of 45mph, possibly 60 on the upper run. The technique involved laying on the sled on your back, shoulders back and head up. You steer by leaning your shoulder into the corresponding turn. Grab the wall or the dude at the end to stop and that's it. The advice on the first run was, just lay there. You'll be fine. After watching everyone in our group go and convincing myself it "didn't look that fast" I was finally up. The guy helped you into the track and held your sled while you got situated. They called your name over the loudspeakers and then off you went. It was at times fast. It was at times scary. But by the time you had to chance to think, whoa...this is pretty dangerous, you were done. And it turns out it was pretty fun! Another surprise was that Chris did the best in the group. I figure it's his Nordic roots. The last run was the longest and fastest. I was doing awesome until I got shot out of the last turn. I started 'ping ponging' and set out my feet to straighten myself out as I was advised. This did me no good and I ping ponged all the way to the end, only to find that the helper dude that grabs you so you can get out wasn't there! I was too far away to grab the wall and found myself in a bit of a panic as I slid back down the track, for a pretty good distance! I decided to lay down again so I didn't catch my head on anything and once it was all over and I finally stopped I had ridden half the track again. I pinched my arm between the sled and the wall at one point, leaving a fun bruise and amazingly my only injury for the night.



The fun lasted about an hour and a half and had convinced us all we, too, could be olympians. It was the funnest thing I'd done in a long time and I'm really glad we had the opportunity.