The unique charm of "Watching the Winter Olympics Together" and "Snow Marathon"

After the men's 15 km traditional technology race on the afternoon of the 11th, Yunnan's Liu Rongsheng was tired and breathless, this is his third game since the Beijing Winter Olympics, and physical exertion is the biggest challenge he faces. Many runners lay down in the snow after crossing the finish line, until the volunteers stepped forward to help them.

Runners in cross-country skiing competitions. Image source Beijing Daily client

Cross-country skiing is known as the "snow marathon," which shows how tough it is, but it also has a unique charm – eat as much as you want. There's a famous saying in cross-country skiing circles: If you're a "foodie," come to cross-country skiing!

Studies have shown that a standard male cross-country skier has a heart rate of 160-180 beats per minute when skiing on the snow, and a heart rate of uphill and accelerating at 190 beats per minute or more, and must consume the equivalent of about 20 thousand-layered calories per day to meet his sports needs. Therefore, this ancient sport encourages athletes to consume enough energy to ensure physical function.

Canadian athlete Remy DeLoré said: "I eat every 15 to 20 minutes to make sure it's so full that you don't feel like time is passing because you're always eating. ”

Irish athlete Thomas Marloni Westgard said he consumes as many as 7,000 calories a day. "I'm going to eat a lot of plates of pasta and dessert. I love all the sweets and they give me the strength to move forward on the slopes. He joked, "You can eat as much as you want, that's why I haven't retired yet, only then is life good." ”

"A lot of people can't understand the heat demands of this sport." Jessica Roch, a nutritionist for the U.S. cross-country ski team, said, "Ideally, athletes would have to eat every 2 to 3 hours apart, so it's important to plan your eating time in advance." Roch said heat is essential for cross-country skiers. Take a female player, for example, if she doesn't consume enough calories for a while, she may have problems with menstrual irregularities and bone health. ”

On the field, we can see many European players tall and burly, with strong bodies that enrich their own calorie reserves. Most of the Asian athletes are small and slender, which is not dominant in the high-energy-consuming projects of cross-country skiing. We hope that Liu Rongsheng can also eat a little more, and train his body more strongly and powerfully while improving his athletic performance.

Lou Ying, special correspondent of the Beijing Winter Olympics, was sent by Yun Bao