Americans Holly Brooks, Torin Koos and Lauren Fritz, along with Canadian Graham Nishikawa, share their travel stories and racing adventures from the 2016 China Tour de Ski earlier this month. “I see why the Chinese don’t come to the World Cups very often, they seriously do it up in their own country,” Brooks said.
A recent study found that taking more frequent feeds - six over the course of a 30 k rollerski time trial - helped maintain higher and more consistent blood sugar levels and minimized gastrointestinal discomfort, even if it didn't necessarily improve performance times. "Get to know what works best for you," recommended researcher Ben Stocks.
After a disastrous 2014 event which saw the title race canceled on race morning due to dangerously high winds in the mountains, there has been much soul-searching in Norway as to how the Birkebeiner ski marathon can go forward (or whether the organizers were being wusses).
I might be a nobody who struggled my way through Sweden's 90 k Vasaloppet with next to no preparation, but I also saw what it takes to win the Vasa: through the generosity of a friend, I accidentally embedded myself with Team Robin Bryntesson. Here's the next installment of our first-person staff accounts of famous races.