Whether it’s sprinting with a high tempo up a hill, powering into a headwind, or consistently gaining a few seconds every kilometer on their competition, we’ve all seen some really impressive skiers. We might even believe we could duplicate their performances on a good day. After all, we train just as long and hard as they do, right?
However, being able to perform the way we want to in a race doesn’t just magically happen. The skier that just passed you with a snappy tempo and powerful, efficient movements got that way by training that way.
If you want to race like that, you have to train like that.
Exactly how to integrate that into your overall training plan is another story. In fact, many skiers have a tendency to do too much high intensity training.
Regardless of whether or not you win races, making the most of the time and effort you put in to your training is a motivating challenge that continues to evolve. This is part of what makes cross-country skiing an awesome life-long sport.
Enjoy.
Originally published Sept. 30, 2020. Updated Dec. 14, 2022.