Minnesota Native Takes Gold in Long-Run-on-Snow-Covered-Ice Event at Winter Olympics
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main image via Depositphotos.com
A Minnesota native triumphed yesterday at the Winter Olympics, taking gold in the Long-Run-on-Snow-Covered-Ice, an event making its Olympic debut this year.
Gerda Snedronningen, an avid runner and resident of Minneapolis, finished the 18-mile (29-kilometer) course in 2 hours 22 minutes 17 seconds. Norway’s Caroline Mikkelsen finished second, in 2:26:04; Louise Seguin, of Sweden, took the bronze medal, finishing in 2:31:42.
“What a thrill, and what an honor,” Snedronningen, 37, said at a postrace news conference. “That said, as a runner born and raised in Minnesota, I have to say that this course really played to my strengths.”
Long-Run-on-Snow-Covered-Ice, the first ever running competition at a Winter Olympics, was similar to any traditional running race, with a mass start, bib numbers, and so on, but with a twist—namely, bitter cold temperatures (14 degrees F, or -10 C) and a treacherous course covered in slick ice and snow.
That presented obvious challenges for the African runners who dominate many warm-weather races. But it proved advantageous for the medalists, including Snedronningen, who shuffled ahead of the pack from the gun and expertly navigated the dicey streets and roads with a short, easy stride and slightly lowered center of gravity.
At certain points, the mother of two even broke into a smile—a stark contrast to most of her competitors, who struggled to find a rhythm on the slick road surface. Virtually all of them, including eventual silver medalist Mikkelsen and bronze medalist Seguin, slipped and fell at least once.
Snedronningen was one of just a handful who remained upright for the duration of the race, which she attributed to her years of training.
“These conditions—the cold, the snow and ice, all of it—are conditions I’m super comfortable with,” Snedronningen said. “I mean, I’m from Minnesota; I’ve been preparing for this all my life.”
“Long-Run-on-Snow-Covered-Ice is definitely my event.”
