The calendar just rolled over to August and I realized that I have about 6 lake weekends left this year. Considering I haven’t even attempted a tantrum this year, odds are looking bad that I’ll land one. It is one of my goals to do so, and two years ago I flung myself into the air with wreckless abandon trying to hit it. I twisted my ankle 3 times, took countless hard landings and even smacked my face so hard on the water I couldn’t open my mouth more than an inch for 3 days–literally.

I was fearless.

Last summer I was seriously injured on the wakeboard for the first time. Sure, I’d had two major basketball injuries, but this was the first time I had to have surgery and rehab from wakeboarding.

And now, each time I’m lined up for a big run at the wake, its in the back of my mind. Its not really the pain I fear. Sure it hurts like hell, but it only lasts a minute or two. Its the 2 months of evaluations, the MRI, the diagnosis, the surgery, the immobility, the rehab…all to get back to where I was (hopefully) before. Yuck.

So I have a choice…

Throw in the towel and resign to age and wisdom
or
Go for it

I know what a younger Landon would do, in a heartbeat. And at 27, I know I’m not OLD. But I am wiser…oh boy what a conflict.

In times of indecision, I have to look to my absolute favorite quote of all time. In fact, I have it framed in my living room next to a bust of the man who spoke the words…

 ”
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
”
-Teddy Roosevelt, 1910

So….tomorrow I head to the lake.  I am going to resume chasing my tantrum. I will post my results asap. Wish me luck. I know I may regret this decision in the short term, but I also know I won’t regret it in the long term.

I know this seems overly dramatic, but I’m an athletic guy, and I love sports. After 3 knee surgeries–I fear them. They keep me from doing what I love for months at a time. It really is a tough decision for me.

 Oh and by the way, in case you’re wondering what an invert is, or what a tantrum is, here is a short video from wakeboardcamp’s dvd series called “The Book“.  I own it and its an excellent guide to beginning, intermediate and insanely advanced wakeboarding. In the video below, you’ll see a tantrum twice. Once during the 8 inverts and once while they show the trampoline comparison.

(oh and by the way, I’ve successfully crashed attempts at 3 other inverts in this video:
Toeside Front Roll — never came close
Heelside Front Flip — hit on board, VERY hard landing on the knees, won’t try it again
Heelside Back Roll– my first invert attempt, funny crashes–can’t get the spin right)