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Birkie Health Survey Underscores Link Between Exercise and Healthy Behavior

Chelsea LittleOctober 16, 2017

Back in 2014, Paul Anderson and his colleague, Ralph Bovard, set out to study the health habits of cross-country skiers by surveying those who participated in the American Birkebeiner (“the Birkie”), a cross-country ski marathon in Wisconsin. “We wanted to understand and characterize the role of social support for exercise among Birkie skiers,” Anderson explained in an email this month. “Dr. Bovard and myself are both Birkie skiers and we have both experienced how the...

General Health Lifestyle Resources Training Workouts

Wednesday Workout: Mindfulness with Heidi Widmer

FasterSkierSeptember 6, 2017

Swiss-Canadian skier Heidi Widmer found herself on a tough stretch of road, she recently ended up taking several weeks off training. “When I had a concussion (both in the fall of 2010 and again in 2013), I listened to mindfulness videos on YouTube,” Widmer wrote in an email. “Those were stressful and uncertain times for me, because I didn’t know what was causing my symptoms nor how to get better. The videos helped guide a...

Book Review General Health Lifestyle News Research Resources Training

We’re Not Invincible: More Heart Arrhythmias in Endurance Athletes (Book Review)

Chelsea LittleJuly 27, 2017

When I heard that there was a new book coming out about heart arrhythmias in endurance athletes, I was interested. Several years ago, I read some of the research papers that the book’s authors refer to. One was a cohort study on participants in the Vasaloppet, the 90-kilometer ski marathon in Sweden. Those researchers found that skiers who competed in more Vasaloppets had more heart arrhythmias – as did those who finished the race the...

Collegiate Health Interviews Racing

Kristen Bourne on Recovering from Mono and Making NCAAs

Gabby NaranjaMay 18, 2017

Two-and-half months into her summer training last year, Kristen Bourne woke up in a cold sweat. Her temperature read higher than normal and no amount of lozenges could soothe her sore throat. The Central Collegiate Ski Association (CSSA) Distance Championships and also qualified for NCAA Skiing Championships. There in Jackson, N.H., she finished 17th in the 5 k classic and was the top NMU woman in the 15 k freestyle mass start two days later, placing 13th and

Health Multimedia Nordic Nation Podcasts Resources

Nordic Nation: The Medical Side of XC with USST Dr. Larry Gaul

Jason AlbertApril 12, 2017

FIS Medical Guide (To subscribe to the Nordic Nation podcast channel, download the iTunes app. If you have iTunes, subscribe to Nordic Nation here.) Have a podcast idea? Please email

General Health Juniors Racing

An Open Letter About Depression in Competition

FasterSkierDecember 28, 2016

If you follow U.S. skiing closely, you’ve probably heard of Paul Everett. After three years on US Biathlon’s development team, Everett, 20, is currently a Montana State University sophomore and member of the Bridger Ski Foundation in Bozeman, Mont. He is studying exercise science and psychology, and wrote the following letter for an assignment. It’s about depression and anxiety in athletes, “more specifically ski racing about what it is like for those competing with these disorders and...

General Health Lifestyle News

Halvorsen Asks Skiers Around the World About Body Image and Eating Disorders (Video)

Gabby NaranjaOctober 26, 2016

After a month of sending emails and sifting through footage, Hannah Halvorsen produced a five-minute video seeking to bring awareness about body image and disordered eating among cross-country skiers. Since she published it last Friday, it's accumulated more than 3,000 views.

General Health Podcasts Resources Strength Workouts

Wednesday Workout: Taming Compartment Syndrome (with Video and Mini Podcast)

Jason AlbertAugust 24, 2016

Exertional compartment syndrome can ruin a ski season if not a career. In this Wednesday Workout, physical therapist Dave Cieslowski presents two exercises designed to tame a compartment syndrome flare-up.

General Health Lifestyle Training

It’s All In The Mind: Mixing Sport Psychology with Skiing

Jason AlbertJune 28, 2016

Athletes at all levels of the competition spectrum constantly seek the missing piece of their performance puzzle. For many years now, sport psychology has played an increasing role in solving that puzzle. From the World Cup to the junior ranks, FasterSkier explores how some skiers and coaches make use of sport psychology.

General Health News Resources Training

Välbe’s Asthma Comments Off The Mark, Medical and Scientific Community Says

Chelsea LittleJanuary 29, 2016

A few things are clear: athletes, in particular winter endurance and pool athletes, have a high incidence of airway hyper-responsiveness, much of which may be undiagnosed. This can be treated with inhalers, which are not banned by WADA and have been repeatedly shown not to be performance-enhancing. And - those athletes can win.

General Health Lifestyle News

Ouch! What You Should Know About Shin Pain

BrainspiralJanuary 26, 2016

Shin pain is no joke -- shin splints, bony stress injuries and exertional compartment syndrome are becoming increasingly common among cross-country skiers. Here is some help in identifying and differentiating between the three causes of lower-leg pain.

Health Lifestyle

‘Tis the Season of… Sneezing: Here’s How to Combat Illness

BrainspiralDecember 8, 2015

Colds and flu are an inevitable part of winter. Athletes who limit their exposure, get vaccinated for seasonal flu and follow a physician-approved return to training plan can protect themselves from the dangerous consequences of getting sick and maximize their time out on the snow.

Health Training

It’s Still Summer, So Drink Up: Beat the Heat Tips

BrainspiralSeptember 1, 2015

We're officially into September, but that doesn't mean we're necessarily there with fall weather. As your workouts intensify in anticipation of the winter ahead, keep in mind that it's important to stay hydrated -- and the days can still reach very warm and potentially dangerous temperatures.

Health Lifestyle News

Feeling Lethargic? Check Your Carb and Fiber Intake

Chelsea LittleAugust 13, 2015

A study of competitive female endurance athletes in Denmark showed surprising patterns in diet among those with low energy availability and skipped periods: too much fiber, and not enough carbohydrates. That enables better recommendations for athletes looking to get healthy while not gaining weight.

Health Lifestyle

How to Hydrate for Tip-Top Performance When It’s Oh-So Cold

BrainspiralJanuary 13, 20152

Optimizing performance is a tricky business for winter-endurance athletes. Climate variations, equipment choices and training methods are all factors in a successful performance, and frequently leave nutrition at the bottom of a long checklist. For many reasons, hydration is an overlooked aspect of winter-sports performance.

Canadian National Ski Team Health Lifestyle Racing Training Workouts World Cup

Wednesday Workout: Mini-Tour Recovery with Alex Harvey

BrainspiralDecember 10, 2014

What does a World Cup racer do after, say, a mini tour for recovery? We asked Canada's Alex Harvey, who placed 10th overall in last weekend's Lillehammer triple. He opted for an hour-and-15-minute run on Monday in Davos, led by coach Tor-Arne Hetland, who lives in Davos.

Health Racing US Ski Team World Cup

Hoffman Checks in En Route to Denver, Blogs About Broken Fibula

BrainspiralDecember 1, 2014

Never fail, on Monday afternoon during a flight from Frankfurt to Denver, Noah Hoffman blogged. And not just any quick update, almost a whopping 2,000 words. The U.S. Ski Team’s top male distance skier got online to explain exactly what happened Sunday in Kuusamo, Finland, where he fell hard with slightly less than 2 kilometers to go in the first World Cup distance race of the season.

Health Lifestyle

The Hungry Skier: Pumpkin and Maple-Nut Oatmeal

Alex KochonOctober 21, 2014

It's that time of year, and we've got a quick-and-easy recipe for the time-crunched athlete -- a spiced-up alternative to traditional oatmeal for those autumn mornings.

Health Lifestyle

The Hungry Skier: Fall Single-Serving Smoothies

BrainspiralSeptember 29, 2014

Beets, kale, apple crisp, maple syrup -- these are ingredients you could be using in your smoothie this morning, afternoon or evening -- before or after your workout. Check out some creative ideas from Runner's World.

Health Lifestyle News Training Workouts

Ultimate Refueling Contest Winners and Other Entries

BrainspiralAugust 19, 2014

The results are in for the Ultimate Refueling Contest! We had some pretty amazing submissions which made the task of choosing three winners incredibly tough. However, after much deliberation we have chosen the Katrina Howe and her "Energy Bombs" as our grand prize winner!

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