Plan your attack.

With a map in hand and hours of preview behind you, identify where you’ll perform best. Consider your background in other sports, the movement patterns you excel at, and your strengths—or limitations—relative to the field.

Are you:

• A Nordic skier? Maximize your efficiency on flat or false-flat sections with diagonal stride.
• A trail runner? Use changes in terrain to switch fluidly between gliding and striding.
• A cyclist? Identify sections where a higher cadence gives you an edge.
• An alpine climber? Take advantage of bootpacks—your legs are used to a high, deliberate stride.
• A speed skater? Exploit your power to grab the hole shot and reach the skintrack first. (But if untrained for this, it’s a terrible idea.)
• An alpine ski racer? Make up time with superior downhill skills.
• Older than the field? Less-talented?¹ Focus on efficiency. Out-practice everyone on transitions. Dial your hydration routine. Figure out your sweat rate and carry exactly the fluid you'll need.

Everyone will be surging above and below their anaerobic threshold. Raw physical capacity isn’t the only determinant of performance—use your background to gain an edge.

1. When I started skimo racing at 39, I was a type-A ex-alpine climber. I compensated for my age and less-than-world-class genes with a boatload of training, an OCD focus on efficiency, and by attacking hardest on the steepest sections.