Most people know Ingrid Kristiansen as one of the best runners of all time. Throughout her career, Kristiansen won a World Cup gold and a bronze and a European Championship gold and a bronze.

She also set five world records on the track, at 5.000 and 10.000 meters, respectively. Her best time of 10.000 meters was 30 minutes and 13 seconds, and that time still stands as Norway’s best time and as the world’s eighth-best time ever set by a woman.

In addition to being one of the world’s foremost female runners ever, Ingrid also focused on cross-country skiing as a junior and became European Champion in the relay in 1974. Therefore, the combination of running and cross-country skiing is something she has a lot of experience with and many opinions about.

Kristiansen does not doubt what is the biggest trap for cross-country skiers in the transition season: many go hard.

“Most people who have skied a lot in the winter are in excellent shape. Most people are also used to training a lot, and it is easy to believe that the work you do on skis can be transferred to running. Many people think that when they are used to skiing for two hours, they can go straight to the run for two hours. It’s not very smart,” says Ingrid Kristiansen.

“The great thing about running is that it is time-efficient. Running takes much less time than cross-country skiing, and it is important not to think about the number of hours in the beginning. I think that 45 minutes to an hour is more than enough in the start-up phase,” Kristiansen continues.

Today, Norway’s leading marathon runner, Sondre Nordstad Moen, has stated that he “only” runs 12-14 hours a week. This corresponds to about 600-700 hours per year.

By comparison, Therese Johaug has said that she can be up to 1100-1300 hours a year on an hourly basis. It is almost twice as much as Nordstad Moen and can give us an idea of ​​what is the difference in the mechanical load of two of Norway’s leading athletes, which in turn leads to how many hours of work they can put in during a year without being injured.

“Many cross-country skiers struggle with their legs. When skiing, you use the muscles in this area a little in relation to running. When I invested in both cross-country skiing and running for a while, I spent about three weeks adjusting to learning to use my legs properly again. I also think that this is a time frame more people should use for an adaptation phase,” says Kristiansen.

These are Ingrid Kristiansen’s tips for the transition season:

“Start by running on soft ground and in hilly terrain.”

“It is very typical for cross-country skiers to seek out slopes to get their heart rate up. It’s also something I would not recommend doing on every run. Uphill slopes are good for increasing endurance, but you do not get up to speed on the steps. If you want to run faster or participate in a race, it is not just running uphill that is the way to go.”

Many people recognize themselves as being quickly engrossed in speed and the number of kilometers per workout.

Kristiansen says that many people can quickly become too preoccupied with the heart rate monitor and how fast they run. It is stupid initially and can often lead to many people running faster than their legs are used to. It can often lead to injuries. By running in hilly terrain, this will shift the focus away from speed and the number of kilometers.

Run All Winter

Those who compete actively in cross-country skiing want to get the training in the winter as specific as possible. In addition, many ambitious athletes like to use skiing when it is cold and white. Bringing out your running shoes when there is snow on the sidewalks, and slush on the road cannot attract many people. But using the running shoes even in the winter can do you excellent service when spring comes.

“I think it is very smart to hold one or two running sessions a week all winter. Then you are better equipped when spring comes, and you want to run more.”

“Cross-country skiing has completely different requirements for muscle load than running. You use more of your body, and the load on your legs will not be the same as you avoid the shocks from the ground.”

Kristiansen also does not doubt that running is a good exercise for cross-country skiers if they are careful.

“You get more training per unit of time when you run. This is especially beneficial if you run out of time one day. There is no doubt that running can also help cross-country skiers get better condition and a more varied training routine.”

Cross-Country Skiing Is Also A Good Form Of Exercise For Runners

It is not only cross-country skiers who can benefit from running as a form of exercise. Ingrid Kristiansen also believes that runners can benefit from varying loads with a bit of cross-country skiing. As a former cross-country skier, Ingrid also used cross-country skiing as training when she fully invested in running. She also believes that more runners today should do so.

“When I actively invested in running, I lived in Norway all winter. Then I was happy to do four or five sessions on skis per week if it was good before. I rarely went more than two hours, but I think it helped me build good endurance. In addition to this, I also ran every day.”

“I think many runners today are terrified of losing the running step if they ski. Personally, I rather noticed that cross-country skiing gave me an advantage for a stronger engine.”

How to use running as a form of exercise?

According to Ingrid Kristiansen, there is no doubt that running is an excellent form of exercise, even for cross-country skiers. But what are her best tips for setting up running training?

“The most important thing is to find the training that suits you best. We are all different, and the running must also be adapted individually. I would not recommend anyone go on a running trip to find out how to run technically correctly. Everyone runs differently, and it is not the case that everyone should run on their forefoot. Find your own style,” says Kristiansen and continues;

“Another tip that can be beneficial to do after a season with a lot of cross-country skiing is various exercises that stimulate flexibility in the kick-off. It can be light jumping or explosive bouncing skiing. In addition, toe lifts are a very good exercise to strengthen the legs that have been used a little less when skiing.”

How long should a training session in running last?

“Everything from 45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. I usually prefer an hour and 10 minutes with good quality versus an hour and 40 minutes just to get more minutes in the training diary. Nevertheless, it is important to point out that this is individual, and it is important that everyone does the form of exercise they like best and can withstand its stresses.”

“It is a trend now to complete such very long sessions and almost run one marathon a week. I see that as idiotic. It is enough to have training sessions that are of good quality and do not necessarily last more than three hours. Quantity is not everything,” concludes Ingrid Kristiansen.

FACTS – Ingrid Kristiansen’s tips for the transition season:

• Reduce the number of running hours in the beginning. Sessions of 45 minutes to one hour are enough.
• An adaptation phase from cross-country skiing to running should be at least three weeks.
• Run on soft ground and in hilly terrain.
• It can be harmful to the running step just to run uphill. Vary with hilly terrain.
• Do not worry about speed at first. This can lead to excessive speed in the event of too many passes and, in the worst case, injuries.
• It is best to keep up with one or two running sessions a week throughout the year. Then tendons and joints are a little more used to the load when spring comes.
• Running is very time efficient and is a good form of exercise to stimulate better endurance for everyone.
• Find the form of exercise you like best. Adapt the training to what you can handle and find your style.
• Explosive tension exercises can be beneficial to get a better running step.
• Quality over quantity. More hours of running are not equal to better quality.