We can often soar this ridge lift for hours. The absence of a noisy engine enables you to feel at one with the air just as the birds must do. Eventually this breaks away in a bubble of buoyant warm air and rises. This is a thermal. Thermals may rise thousands of feet, and often form fluffy cumulus clouds when the moisture in them condenses to droplets.
Competitions normally involve cross country flying.
A certain amount of physical fitness is useful in the early stages of hill training - be prepared to walk back up the hill with your glider after you have flown down. Fortunately almost all our training slopes are smooth grassy slopes - this means that you can wheel the glider back up the hil rather than having to carry it. If there is a breeze, it will help you push the glider back up the hill. Thus, by taking the training at your own pace, allowing for longer rests, it is possible for even our more senior citizens to learn - the oldest we have taught to fly is 74. If you have any doubts about your fitness to fly - consult your doctor.