Cross-country skiing is a physically demanding sport requiring top athletes’ strength, endurance, and technique. Long-distance skiing requires an even more extreme ability to fight fatigue for long periods. But equally important to skiing is mental preparation and training. Mental training has emerged as a critical element in athletes’ success in cross-country skiing and many other elite sports.

In long-distance skiing, like in any endurance sport, the physical shape is the crucial component in an athlete’s performance, but without a great mental capacity, one won’t be able to succeed.