Cross-Country Skiing

Winter is here, but the snow is not.  When the snow finally arrives, so will another opportunity for cross-training.

Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas, in their book Advanced Marathoning (2001) wrote, "Cross-country skiing is the only form of exercise that provides cardiovascular benefits equal to, or even slightly better than, those associated with running.  The whole-body nature of cross-country skiing really works the cardiovascular system, and some of the highest VO2 max values have been recorded in cross-country skiers."

Many of the top recorded VO2 max measurements among athletes have been found among cross country skiers.  (A description of VO2 max can be found here.)

A study from the University of Minnesota analyzed upper body power during cross-country skiing compared to running.  Runners, in their study, used 46% of the upper body power compared to cross-country skiers.

Running guru, Hal Higdon, has a website dedicated to teaching people how to cross-country ski.

So when the snow finally arrives, consider a trip to Spidahl Ski Gaard for an afternoon of cross-training.