Photo: Bildbyrån
Stina Nilsson has switched from biathlon to long-distance running.
Before her competitive debut in the Klarälvsloppet, she makes a somewhat unexpected and slightly embarrassing confession.
– I have never driven nine miles in a competition before, she says to the site langd.se.
She has already changed sports once and shocked the entire skiing world by trying biathlon instead. But the venture only lasted for just over four years. Now have namely Stina Nilsson31, chose to put the gun on the shelf and look towards another form of competition.
Stina’s new message
It was in April that Stina announced that she will invest in cross-country and Ski Classics. She may actually be eligible for the WC squad for the World Championships in Trondheim in February 2025 thanks to her switch to cross-country skiing. In an interview with the site langd.se, she tells more about her decision.
– I am taking this step because in my world it has always been that I want to try all three (traditional cross-country skiing, biathlon and long-distance running). I really feel that it is unknown water that I am stepping into, but then I do not speculate on what is easy or difficult. But it’s a challenge that feels fun to take on, she says.
She has been training as a cross-country skier for a couple of months now. The pre-season training has looked a little different compared to previous years. Because they ride such long distances, there is a lot of focus on pole training and endurance. There will be a particular strain on the shoulders, elbows and back.
— I have had elite sports as a profession since 2012, so I know what this profession and this lifestyle entails. I know it’s about a lot of training and focusing on recovery. Then when it comes to possible differences between different sports, I will have more control this spring when I have driven a whole season. But I already see some differences, and there I would say that biathlon differs the most from the other two, as you have a coach there and do very much the same as everyone else. Long-distance skiing is different as it involves a lot of focus on training and long sessions, he says.
Stina Nilsson’s confession
So that the body doesn’t take too much of a beating with all the staking, Stina has done a lot of cycling training as well, to vary herself. She has not done any long-distance races on roller skis so far this summer in order to instead focus on getting into long-distance skiing. The long distances in particular are something that is unusual for her. She makes a slightly embarrassing admission ahead of her competition premiere on Sunday, when she will run the Klarälvsloppet on roller skis between Uddeholm and Karlstad.
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– I have never driven nine miles in a competition before. It will be a good check on where I stand compared to the others and what I need to train more on heading into the season, she says.
Good luck with the new season and with the new sport, Stina. Hope it goes well for you and your investment in long-distance running.
How do you think it will go for Stina Nilsson next season? Please write a comment.
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