30 for 30 Countdown #8 - She flies through the air

When explaining what 30 for 30 is about, I usually mention that it is a chance to force myself to do things that I've always been meaning to do.  When I mentioned this to a coworker, she said, "I've always wanted to go to trapeze school!  Do you want to do that with me?!"  "Sure!" I exclaimed out of excitement.

When she left the room I realized what I had just agreed to.  A trapeze?  Like in the AIR?  

yep.

Let me tell you a little bit about what is going on in this picture.  I'll start with trapeze school in general - it's held in a giant tent in pretty much the sketchiest neighborhood in all of Manhattan.  They give you a quick instruction and then expect you to just jump off a super duper high platform.

Just standing around on the ground, my hands were sweating profusely.  I realized there was no way I would be able to hold onto something so I began dipping my hands in chalk.  Instead of drying out my hands, the chalk began clumping because there were now pools of sweat popping up everywhere from my palms to my fingers.  How do you even sweat out of your fingertips?  I continued dumping my hands in the chalk and ended up with white dust all over my black outfit and particles in lungs that are still irritating me.

Climbing up the 30 foot ladder, my whole body was shaking.  At the top of the platform, I could only look at the ceiling.  They warned us that the trapeze would feel really heavy, but as I grabbed it with my right hand, I truly felt as if I was going to fall.  My foot cramped and I didn't think I could do it.  Then i realized the fastest way out of my situation was to jump.

I will not subject you to the video of me screaming my lungs out.  They called me the class screamer.  With tears in my eyes, I rolled off the net and swore I wouldn't go again.  But I did.

That's right!  A BACKFLIP!  Woo hoo.

Now, if you really want to be impressed with me.  Check out how rad my skills were by the end of the class.

I'm really not exaggerating when I say the whole experience was one of the most terrifying of my life.  I don't think I will be going back to trapeze school any time soon.  But hey, I did it!