How to make the most of the holiday period. Here are the long-distance skiing guru’s Christmas training tips for recreational skiers.

Vasaloppet, Birkebeinerrennet, and Marcialonga are popular goals for many dedicated recreational skiers. But for those juggling work, family, and a busy daily life, building a sufficient volume base can be challenging.

Langrenn.com spoke with long-distance skiing legend Anders Aukland.

On paper, he retired two years ago, but the 53-year-old remains impressively fit. Aukland believes that training does not need to be complicated or time-consuming. Here, he shares his key tips.

The key is to take advantage of opportunities in everyday life, on weekends, and during holidays.

“In daily life, it’s about being efficient. If you manage two or three solid sessions during the week and a proper long session on the weekend, you are well prepared for both Vasaloppet and Birken. But when you have the opportunity, you should train more. Much more,” says Aukland.

Earlier this autumn, the veteran also released a book on training.

Read More: Anders Aukland releases a book and shares decades of experience

Three to four-hour-long sessions every other day

Aukland has good experience with regularly including high-volume periods when the opportunity arises. Christmas is one such opportunity, and long sessions are the primary focus.

“Feel free to do three to four-hour-long sessions every other day whenever you have the chance to train a lot,” says the long-distance skiing legend.

On the days between long sessions, Aukland recommends interval training.

“On the days between long sessions, I would do shorter, more intensive workouts, alternating between hard intervals and easier intervals,” he explains.

By “hard intervals,” Aukland refers to efforts of three to four minutes, preferably six to seven repetitions, at an intensity above threshold.

By “easier intervals,” he means working around threshold intensity for a total of about one hour.

“Easier intervals could be three times 20 minutes, or six times 10 minutes, but the total duration should be around one hour.”

Also Read – Vasaloppet training tips: Who says there are no shortcuts?

How to make long sessions tougher

As a bonus tip for more ambitious skiers, Aukland recommends including more strenuous efforts within long sessions.

“If you want to perform well, it’s smart to include some intervals within the long sessions. Think of it like a race. For example, you could go hard for one hour toward the end of a three to four-hour session,” says Aukland, adding:

“It’s important to tailor the training to your goal. If Birken is your target, focus on pushing hard uphill toward the end of the session. If you’re training for Vasaloppet, it’s smart to practice fast double-poling on flatter terrain.”

No snow? No excuses!

Although long sessions on skis are ideal, there’s no reason to skip them if snow conditions are poor.

Aukland’s advice is to make the best of the conditions available and aim for training that is as specific as possible.

“All training is positive and contributes, but if you want to race, it’s best to keep training as specific as possible. If you can find snow, that’s the best option. The second-best is roller skiing, if conditions allow. The third option is SkiErg,” says Aukland.

“I can easily do a three-hour session on the SkiErg. Just put on some music or a movie. Alternatively, you can combine running and SkiErg, so the total duration reaches around three hours.”

Read More – SkiErg vs. Ercolina: Which double-poling trainer is right for you?

This article is based on a previously published piece about Christmas training sessions, updated and expanded on December 25, 2025.

Are you interested in training for long-distance, traditional cross-country skiing and biathlon? Click HERE and read more about it.