Sitting on a chair, Fossesholm grabs the handle of the stake machine. Soon she is in full swing and gasping for air as she pulls powerfully to gong after gong. The cross-country skier usually competes in cold winter landscapes. Today the thermometer shows 38 plus degrees, and the sweat is trickling down the face. – One is practically boiled alive, she describes, while Taylor Swift’s “1989” album blares from a loudspeaker. Photo: Jonas Been Henriksen / news In recent weeks, Fossesholm has run many interval sessions in the climate room at Olympiatoppen. And it is she who has knowingly and willfully ordered the thermometer to 38 degrees. – Before, I would have thought “oh my God, so boring”. But now I think: “I actually have no choice”. This is the session I’m most looking forward to throughout the week, but it’s absurd that you should be looking forward to something so awful. – Voluntary torture The reason why Fossesholm is in the glowing room is an accident from a few weeks ago. The cross-country skier dislocated his kneecap during a soccer match, and has since walked on crutches with a splint around his leg. That is why she is now sitting on a chair in a warm room at Olympiatoppen. There are good reasons for that. – Endurance training in a hot climate can in any case be a good method to get the desired heart rate without having to stress the muscles to the same extent, for example if you have an injured knee, explains Espen Spro Johansen, specialist consultant at Olympiatoppen and responsible for the Climate Room. Jonas Been Henriksen / news What is the climate room? In the climate room you can adjust the temperature and humidity to simulate different climatic conditions. – We have a climate room mainly to be able to prepare the athletes for specific climate conditions that they may encounter in competitions elsewhere in the world, e.g. before the Olympics in Tokyo there were possibilities for very high heat and humidity, explains Espen Spro Johansen at Olympiatoppen. Jonas Been Henriksen / news Why does the heart rate increase in high heat? The body tries to get rid of the heat, and pumps more blood out to the skin to excrete heat as sweat, explains Professor Bent Rønnestad at Høgskolen i Innlandet. – When more blood goes to the skin and not to working muscles, it means that the heart has to pump out more blood per minute. This mainly happens by increasing the heart rate (pulse goes up), he says. Jonas Been Henriksen / news Fossesholm’s session in the KlimarommetFossesholm warm up with light striking for around 15 minutes. The session itself was 5×6 minute hard interval training. – I think I opened with 1318 meters on the first move and finished with 1322 meters. It’s pretty jammed. It’s very muscular, you get so tired. The last half was painful, but it’s also a bit good, smiles the rawhide from Vestfossen. If Fossesholm is to keep up her form, she is forced to get all the way out into the uncomfortably warm room. – It’s the closest you get to torture. But it is voluntary, then. It is voluntary torture, completely exhausted after the session. She pours a good dose of water over her sweaty, glowing hot face. – One becomes so stubborn, you know. The head says “come on”, but the arms say “no”, says Fossesholm. The experts’ warning The experts warn the happy amateur from doing the same. Because that involves a certain risk. – If you are going to use warm-up training, then you should, as Fossesholm does, know what you are doing and be with competent people, says Bent Rønnestad, professor at Høgskolen i Innlandet. PROFESSOR: Bent Rønnestad. Photo: Åsmund Grini / news He has researched training in warm rooms, and is supported by Johansen at the Olympiatoppen. – It is important to emphasize that training in high heat naturally entails an increased risk of, among other things, severe dehydration, so it is not something I would recommend anyone to embark on without proper follow-up. Afraid of surgery At the beginning of November, Fossesholm will have a check-up. Then she gets an answer to the fateful question: Should she have surgery or not? – I’m looking forward to it, because I want to get a positive answer. At the same time, it is good to get an answer as well. FAST MOVEMENTS: Armane til Fossesholm jerks up and down as she pulls on the handle. Photo: Jonas Been Henriksen / news The difference can be enormous, especially with a WC on home ground in Trondheim in February. If she has to be operated on, just forget about it. – Then smoke the whole season. I don’t even want to think about that. If she does not have to be operated on, Fossesholm holds out a little hope. – Trondheim is a goal for me, but right now I have to think a bit short-term. If I have to think about it too much, it will be very tiring, she says. The day after the interview with news, she put all thoughts of hard sessions in the climate room and surgery aside. Then the trip went to Athens with a friend. – It will be absolutely delightful. So there is a bit of acclimatization for that as well, she smiles. 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