Winter Olympics 2018

[Cyclingman1]

Don't know how interested the rowing community is in the Winter Olympics. For a person living in the Southern US, most of the events can only be admired from afar. Regardless, I'm very impressed with the immense skill needed in many of the events. In addition, both skill and fitness are combined in some way. But, for me, it is the endurance events that impress. Just saw a Dutchman win the 5000m speed skate event for the third Olympics in a row. His time was just over 6 min. This is close to 2K erg time. I'm wondering which is tougher. The guy made it look easy, but it had to have been grueling. And then there is the cross country skiing. A vast majority of the competitors are collapsing at the finish line. Those events are around 5K erg times. It would be interesting to see comments by ex good speed skaters and now ergers that compare the difficulties of both.

[hjs]

I follow the games, certainly the skaters, cross country is grueling, those guys have the highest vo2 maxes. It being a non impact sport and using both low and upperbody takes a lot. Don,t follow it from nearby, so don,t know exactly who are the really big guns.

Speedskating is next to fitness, also technical, in training the dutch cycle a lot. Kramer won his third 5k and the one before he got silver. He is more or less the number one athlete in the netherlands.
Number 2, for canada, is dutch, but could not make it over here, his farther had a canadian passport, so he changed countries.
Kramer has done 100 5k races in his life and won 80% procent. In direct races on the 5 and 10 k he us almost unbeatable.

At the olympics he never won the 10k, last time silver, before a wrong lane change. He really wants that win, but given the way he won on the 5 it will be very tough.
A few guys can beat him, including the current 10k champ, who comes from marathon and 100k races.

[Cyclist2]

Kramer is in another plane! Anyway as Jim noted, the times for the 5K are like a 2K erg race and I heard the announcer say more than once that the racers need to concentrate on their own race, not chase anyone. Just like a 2K erg race. Those guys were in pain the last two laps, just like a 2K erg race, but pushed even harder while maintaining their form and keeping it smooth. That was good to watch with WRIC coming up.

I like watching cross country skiing, too. The expressions on those guys' faces really show the pain. (They need to figure out some way to wipe the snot/spit away without using their hands). That is a tough sport! I especially like the biathlon. I wish they'd show more of the race, it's hard to figure out with the staggered start. Being able to ski that fast, then stop and shoot - accurately - is a real skill.

[jackarabit]

Being able to ski that fast, then stop and shoot - accurately - is a real skill.

Hard enuf for a target shooter to control pulse and respiration without both redlined.

I wiil watch anything on ice but figure skating is the interest my wife and I have shared for 45 yrs. Big fans of ice dance and men and women’s singles. Figure pairs not so much. Speed skating super! Short track just so so.

[Erik A]

watched that 5k speed skate last night and its fast. unfortunately the kiwi just dipped out on the medal and placed 4th. i had blind hope that he would stay in medal contention until Kramer started to beat the lap times.

[Edward4492]

Big fan of the winter Olympics. Unlike most, I really like the short track. Something about the roller derby, roller ball aspect of it. And the impossible lean angles. Has some very loose semblance to bicycle racing criteriums or velodrome racing. Also the downhill for sheer thrills and the endurance events, speed skating for sure. Agree with the biathlon comments, like it but the format with staggered starts and make up laps is confusing.

[sander]

I am watching as many cross country skiing, biathlon and speed skating events as I can.

I have used both speed skating and cross country (skating and classical) as cross training. On both, my technique is not perfect, and I am slow, but I can say it is a great workout and definitely as exhausting as rowing.

I have trained on the biathlon stadium of Nove Mesto na Morava. What looks on TV like a small hill that those world class athletes skate up like nothing, is in reality a very steep hill that brought me to almost a full stop. Heart rates close to max in the uphill parts.

Amazing athletic performances.

[gouldilocks]

I have been following the World Cup for the Biathlon and the Cross-country for the past year, and it is brilliant - the varied demands of the Biathlon in particular, makes for thrilling viewing - of the Cross-country events I enjoy the Skiathlon and the long one(50km).
Have also been watching the long track speed skating - the 5000m was a great race.

Paul G

[H2O]

My favorite is the short track. Never thought much of the downnhill skiers
until I saw this training video of Shiffrin. Extremely varied training.
My favorite is when she rides the bike without pedalling (7:30 in the video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjcvDlYNSl4