Momentum: Chasing the Olympic Dream

Momentum: Chasing The Olympic Dream is the 191-page autobiography of two-time Olympian, National Champion, and current US Ski Team Coach Pete Vordenberg. A frequent and popular contributor to ski magazines, Vordenberg ably narrates his life in skiing from his youthful efforts to his adult accomplishments around the world. More than a simple chronicle of obstacles and accomplishments, Momentum: Chasing The Olympic Dream is an engaging read that covers Vordenberg's attitudes, aspirations, and motivations. Adeptly written with personal candor and a flair for narration, this engaging personal memoir is informative, entertaining, and occasionally inspiring. If you've ever strapped on a pair skis and dreamed of Olympic Gold, then you will want to read Pete Vordenberg's Momentum: Chasing The Olympic Dream!

Admittedly I felt a little like Sancho Panza, because I didn't really anticipate reading "Momentum." Odds were that it prove to be just another insipid, quixotic memoir in the vast wasteland of sports literature. I was in for a surprise. In that ego-fueled and littered expanse "Momentum" shines like a rare and precious gem.The body of the work is solid, and there are several scenes which are more than adequately--shall we say--"fleshed out." For example: the Halloween night revenge of the NMU xc ski team against a less than candid comedian-evangelist. Some guys are probably going to spend some time in purgatory for that caper, and I don't mean skiing in Colorado! It is a very well written work. This book is autobiographical--Pete Vordenberg as he bled, sweat, toiled, cried and laughed trying to acquire Olympic fulfillment in a practically anonymous nordic odyssey. Nevertheless, if measured together with a Sasquatch or two, Pete's life would balance the scales of 10,000 ordinary men.

In describing his fourteen-year pursuit of an Olympic medal in Nordic ski racing, Vordenberg recalls his youthful adventures in Boulder, Colorado; from there his saga takes us on to survey his years of training, summer and winter, in such places as Trout Lake, Washington, Marquette, Michigan, Sweden and Oregon, with high jinks adventures and merry pranks to balance the triumphs and failings with delightful levity.MOMENTUM offers escape from our American obsessions with the mega-sports that lead winners to multi-million dollar contracts with the pros. By contrast, Nordic ski racing remains at the verge of awareness and interest, although in the Scandinavian countries it is THE SPORT. To become an Olympian, the racer must train relentlessly for years while surviving on meager financial aid; he sacrifices loot in pursuance of a dream that offers intrinsic satisfaction - the sheer joy of skiing among the elite.This book takes us back to that magical stage of yourh when exciting dreams lead us on. It progresses not chronologically but episodically, offering choice metaphors and smooth transitions that make it a satisfying reading experience. One can't resist comparing it to Lance Armstrong's popular book; for with Lance it was not about the bike. Similarly, for Vordenberg, in summary it was not about skis gliding smoothly over snow but rather years of reflective experience that take us to discovery of self, of meanings and values and processes that can apply to all.

Momentum is not only what author Pete Vordenberg has on skis; it's what he uses to propel the reader through this dynamic book! It's hard to put down as you follow Pete from junior high trials to Olympic trails, from Swedish snow to Mexican mermaids, from inspiring coaches to aspiring competitors. But I find myself stopping to savor the flavor of particularly vivid passages such as the first snow coming to northern Michigan or to laugh at the hilarious antics of the athletes as they seek balance from intense training. Skiers will appreciate Pete's training notes and motivational insights, but everyone will enjoy the authentic flow of the conversations he captures on paper, and the sympathetic portrayal of the the unique people who have crossed his path from fellow skiers to famous skiers, from escapees to Baja to an over-weight lady jogger, among others. This book is a kaleidescope of adventure both for those who pursue their dreams with determination and discipline, and for those who prefer just reading about those who do.

A page-turner from the words, "Snart. Fertig. Go!" This book is good. For anyone who has had even a touch of Olympic Fever the story is contagious. From the Polar Cup in Lapland, to the muggy September workouts, Vordenberg puts you there. Right in his sweaty polypro's. This is spot-on, creative non-fiction. The trail-saavy wisdom and burning desire of his college coach are too good to be fantasy. Go along for the dream. Its a Cera-Fast read, so go on. Get a workout.