For fearless Libby Ludlow, there’s nothing like flying down a steep, snow-powdered hillside at 80 mph on the edge of her skis, maneuvering through a minefield of gates in a race against the decisive clock.

“I loved to go fast, feel the wind on my face and feel that rush,” said Ludlow, one of Washington’s most decorated women alpine skiers and a 2006 Olympian in her specialty, the daunting giant slalom. “I did it for myself. It felt awesome. I loved the challenge. I was living the dream.”

Ludlow, 28, now shares her Olympic dream with others, both young and old, as part of a second career. The Bellevue native – a U.S. Ski Team member for 10 up-and-down, injury-plagued years before retiring two winters ago – now is a touring motivational speaker when she isn’t teaching breath-synchronized yoga at a regional studio.

Ludlow visited families at the Auburn Public Library last week, bringing a simple message filled with passion, sacrifice and rewards. As a skier, Ludlow paid the price by charging down some of the world’s most complex ski courses. Her body absorbed the punishment of the intense competition, evidenced by severe knee injuries, cuts and deep bruises.

Despite the physical costs, Ludlow says she wouldn’t change a thing in her career. Battling the best on the international slopes brought out the best in the scrappy Ludlow, who was considered undersized for her sport at 5 foot 3 and 142 pounds.

“I am an Olympian and I live the Olympic spirit on a daily basis,” she told the Auburn audience. “To me, the Olympic spirit is 100 percent determination and commitment to being your very best. It’s a full-time deal. It’s constant determination. There’s no years off, no days off.

“Whether it being a student or an athlete, or whatever it is you care a lot about, there’s different ways to get to success,” she said. “Not everyone is going to have the same path.”

Ludlow’s path was filled with determination, focus, courage, hard work, drive and persistence.

She first strapped on a pair of skis at age 2 at Crystal Mountain and by 6, began to compete. She won three Junior Olympic titles before being named to the U.S. Ski Team at age 16.

Her ascension was interspersed with severe injuries. She underwent four major surgeries followed by months of rehabilitation. She persevered through arthritis and a condryl defect. A screw remains lodged in her repaired right knee.

“I had far more bad days than good days,” she admitted. “But it’s how you come back from those bad days that is most important.”

An undaunted Ludlow broke through in 2002, scoring her first points on the World Cup circuit and emerging as a consistent top-30 performer in the Super-G discipline.

Ludlow was the 2004 national giant slalom champion and ranked 10th in the world in Super-G.

She overcame a major knee injury to fulfill her dream and compete in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, where she placed 28th.

“Dream come true,” Ludlow said. “I was really proud of my performance. There’s nothing I would have changed about it. For me, it was more about being there and competing than my actual finish.”

Ludlow continued to compete in the 2007-08 season after her fourth and most severe knee surgery. After consistently scoring points and proving she could compete with the best in the world again, Ludlow retired healthy and happy from ski racing in May 2008. She fittingly left the pro ranks on her 100th career World Cup race under the sun at nearby Whistler, British Columbia.

“I always wanted to walk away on my own terms,” said Ludlow, who posted 45 top-30 World Cup finishes, three of them top 10s, during her career. “I definitely felt like with ski racing, I left it on the hill. I skied my heart out every single second I was out there.

“Every single moment of training was an opportunity for me to get better, and every single race was an opportunity for me to shine,” she added. “And because I poured myself into every moment I was on the hill, I had absolutely no regrets walking away. I felt honestly like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.”

Ludlow since has shifted her priorities, giving more time to family, friends and others. She graduated with a degree in philosophy and Asian religion from Dartmouth College, and plans to enter law school at the University of Washington.

She also will stay attached to skiing. She spent the past Winter Games as a television analyst and shared the joy of U.S. alpine glory in Vancouver, B.C., with her former teammates and longtime friends, including Lindsey Vonn, Julia Mancuso, Bode Miller and Andrew Weibrecht.

“The alpine team brought home eight medals,” Ludlow said proudly. “And the world paid attention, and that’s cool.”

In retirement, Libby has turned to her other love, yoga, to rehabilitate her aches, build strength and flexibility. Yoga has brought her some peace of mind.

“I love being physically active – using my body,” Ludlow said. “That will never change.”