How to Skate a 10k: Managing Yourself & Becoming a Great Athlete

Learning From Nils van der Poel

As you can imagine, I read a lot. The below piece of writing is one I come back to time and time again. To me, it’s one of the most fascinating and raw pieces of writing you’ll ever find.

But a word of wisdom would be to digest it slowly. It’s dense, and there’s a lot there. It dives into the inner thinking, training, and habits of world champion speed skater Nils van der Poel. After winning two gold medals at the 2022 Olympics, he published his training manifesto and workout journal, saying that he hoped that it would help others develop the sport.

"I held myself to a high standard and I rewarded myself properly and often. When I failed, I forgave myself and tried my best not to fail again” - van der Poel