Why are cross country skiers so dramatic at the finish?

The Animal Within wrote:

They were all sprawled across the finish like a war zone. Yeah you're tired but come on...

And if this can draw a crowd as an Olympic sport so could XC running. It would need to be through the forest like skiing though...

It's because their whole body is exhausted. A lot of the time runners can use their arms to help them keep upright at the end of a race, a skier's arms are knackered too so it's pretty natural that laying down is the only real option.

These sports have big fanbases in a number of countries. X-Country running lost that once the Africans started dominating en-masse. Sad but true.

I know these folks are exhausted, but a lot of this is theatrics, I believe. High school skiers are now doing it.

It's because they have to pretend that they aren't doping.

it's hard, different pain than running.

have you ever done a 20k tt on a bike?

hard

you reach some dark places son. grown-a$$ man.

because of the passive qualities of running mechanics you get a bit of energy back from the ground and your achilles/calf complex. XC skiing and cycling is all about output, and the force requirements are much higher than running.

different pain

Because they have watched so many high school girls cross country meets.

I guess they must work harder than you.

Even Bjorn Daehlie went down after races:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGuOlF50uTc

The Animal Within wrote:

They were all sprawled across the finish like a war zone. Yeah you're tired but come on...

And if this can draw a crowd as an Olympic sport so could XC running. It would need to be through the forest like skiing though...

You have never XC skied...

There's no good standing rest position with xc ski on your feet. And the snow is soft and clean, not like the dirty and hard ground.

SMJO wrote:

It's because they have to pretend that they aren't doping.

^this

I've seen runners lie on the ground after 800m and 1500m races..I think xc skiers can lie on the ground after their races.

XC running will never work at the olympics because there are already 5000m, 10000m, and marathon races.

No Way wrote:

XC running will never work at the olympics because there are already 5000m, 10000m, and marathon races.

XC biathlon (running/shooting) would be popular. The XC ski version is a great sport to watch.

It's a different sport. Imagine doing a running race where you only ran the uphills and flats. You could rest on the downhills. You would have to go really, really hard on the ups.

Also: Imagine that course is one hundred times hillier than your typical cross country course.

Imagine how would feel after doing intervals for an hour?

add a rifle wrote:

XC biathlon (running/shooting) would be popular. The XC ski version is a great sport to watch.

Years ago, I did the summer biathlon. It was held out at Camp Wythicomb, a National Guard training center here in Clackamas, OR.

You ran a one mile cross country loop three times, with a stop at the rifle range between loop 1 and 2 and between loop 2 and 3. All the rifles were at the range. You did not run with the rifle. The first stop, you shot at five targets in the prone position and for the second stop, five standing.

I got a real appreciation for the winter event after doing mine. Trying to focus on a small target 25 meters away, while sweat is pouring down your face and your heartrate is up near 170bpm was NOT easy.

I love watching this event in the Winter Olympics. Most people don't have a clue how hard it is.

It's all theatrics

Stick with eharmony wrote:

It's all theatrics

+1.

I just did one of these last November.

3.5 miles of rugged xc running with 6 pistol/rifle shooting stops.

More fun than you can imagine.

I have decades of experience on both sports. The muscular and cardiovascular demands are greater in skiing. You feel worse after a ski race. At least for the first minute or two.

I did xc skiing in high school and it was the hardest sport I've ever done. It was miserable. Your entire body is on fire during the race. I've never been so out of breathe before, even during xc or track races.