Source: Langrenn.com
Mini-series with focus on the Norwegian longdistanceteam: Profile of three member of the longdistance team. Their training and philosophies.
Want To Be Good At Long Races
FasterSkier · August 17, 2005
 has decided to focus on longdistance racing.</font></center><BR><br />
<b>Young skier want to race long races</b></p><p>The Norwegian longdistance team has normally consisted of athletes in their late twenties or early thirties; most of them have converted to longdistance after first having a career racing shorter distances. In Sweden and Italy there have on the other hand been a number of skiers that already in their early twenties focused on longdistance, especially after FIS started the official marathon Cup. The Norwegian longdistance team wants to recruit younger talents for longdistance racing. 19-year old Vegard Kjolhamar was easy to recruit.</p><p>– I was asked if I was interested, and it was exciting for me to start training with such experienced skiers, says Vegard who has had his best performances on the longest distances and therefore wanted to focus on long races.</p><p>– Longdistance racing is also exciting since FIS now seem to pay more attention to such races.</p><p> Being a part of the longdistance team doesn’t mean that he stops doing short races, he will race four FIS marathon cup races as well as Norway Cup and the Norwegian championship.</p><p>-it’s an advantage for Vegard to get experience with long races says Jorgen Aukland. </p></div><div class=)
The experienced Norwegian longdistance racers are almost entirely focusing on classic. That’s not the case for the young skiers which want to race both techniques even if they are only racing classic longdistance races this winter.
 had decided that he was going to make the podium in The FIS Marathon Cup last winter, but that dream became impossible when he got Mono and his body didn’t function. The 28-year old has however started the upcoming season with new motivation after the illness let go this spring. He has since then trained easy but well since May.</p><p> – I’m very motivated, and has gotten more safety and structure in my training after Pal Gunnar Mikkelsplass became our coach, says Hallingstad.</p><p> He has a fourth place from König Ludvig Lauf as his best result and the goal is now the podium in one of the BIG long races. </p><p>– That’s the frosting on the cake that has been missing. Everything is now looking good and I will be disappointed if I’m not on the podium this winter.</p><p>Hallingstad has focused specifically on longdistance the last four years, and is hoping that the small margins separating him from success will go in his favor this winter.</p><p>– I believe that routine and experience is a big advantage in this type of racing, concludes Hallingstad</p>
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The trademark for most of the classic races in the FIS Marathon Cup, is that the courses are relatively flat with lots of double poling. Double poling has developed a lot over the last several years, in part thanks to the longdistance skiers.
HÃ¥vard Skorstad raced in the regular World Cup as late as last season and was a part of the regular Norwegian national team for several years. He is the longdistance team’s diagonal specialist, even if he feels that diagonal in long races can’t be compared to diagonal skiing in a 15-kilometer race.
– It’s different skiing diagonal in longdistance races than in traditional short distance, says Skorstad
-The reason for this is that ahead of the hills in longdistance races often are long flat sections where the muscles are doing only one motion (double poling) for a long time, and it can take some time before you are able to adjust to also involve your legs and ski diagonal when you hit the uphills. The uphills are also usually shorter in long races than in short races where there are only short flats and up and down the entire time.
The long races are often decided on the flats, and it’s here that Skorstad feels that he can improve the most.
– It’s about three things: technique, strength and rollerskiing.
He has among other things made some changes in his strength training. He has previously done some max strength, but is now reducing that and will train more on the same challenges he encounter in the races, on rollerskis.
– I need to improve my top speed in double poling in order to hang on in for example a breakaway attempt. That’s what I need because I have always been a tough devil, says Skorstad.