Meeting with Léonie Besson, athlete at the FFLD

You practice cross-country skiing. Do you have a specialty?

Basically, I'm a biathlete but now I've decided to specialize in sprinting. As I'm 19, I'm starting my final year in the U20 category.

When and how did you start cross-country skiing?

Originally from Briançon, I did cross-country skiing from 6th to 8th grade. Then I discovered biathlon and I loved it. So I went to Savoie to continue this discipline. I joined the Committee for two years, but unfortunately I was injured the second year.
Quite quickly, I got a taste of competition and I had some great results, including a 4th place in sprint and a 3rd in classic.
In the family, we have sprinter genes and now, it's more towards this type of distance that I want to move!

What qualities are necessary to practice cross-country skiing?

Generally speaking, you have to be ultra motivated and have a crazy mentality! It's military, the training is hard, the life of an athlete is hard with the deprivation of outings for example. It's an environment that requires a significant physical, mental, and financial commitment.
To practice sprinting, you have to be muscular, have a somewhat stocky physique, and above all, have great speed and punch!

What do you particularly like about this sport?

I'm quite hyperactive, so I really need to exert myself! I was drawn to sliding and since I love winter, snow, and nature, cross-country skiing is the perfect discipline for me.
It allows you to unwind and see magnificent landscapes. When I ski, I feel free.
I also like the feeling of effort, pushing myself to the limit. I have a competitive spirit. Every day is a challenge, we never get bored.

When did you join Team FFLD?

I only joined the team at the beginning of May. I knew about the FFLD through social media, friends... I contacted the coach to see if their support was compatible with my project. And here I am!
After a season without a hip injury, it's quite complicated to start again, I need a solid foundation and I'm really happy to have joined the Team to carry out my project.

What does this team bring to you?

At the committee, it was less united, there was less of a family spirit. The strength of the team is really the group. It's a bit like a family, like my brothers and sisters. We are there for each other, both in team life and in training.
We have some great times, we come out of the training camps with our heads full of memories.
In the team, there are 9 of us girls. We help each other, we push each other. We all have varied profiles, each with our strengths and weaknesses depending on the type of training.

What are the different competitions you participate in?

For the 2022/23 season, I will stay on the national circuit, the Samse Tour, and try to do a long race (21 km) to discover this distance.
My goal is to perform well in Samse and to be able to get one or more international selections. As I am among the oldest in this category, I hope to be able to achieve good results. And of course, to have fun!

Any longer-term goals or dreams?

I'd really like to join the French national team. And continue as far as I can!

What are the different training phases during the year?

- April: the month of recovery with a few short outings depending on your mood.
- May: return to training without major constraints in terms of time spent, no specific instructions; training is mainly done with running, cycling, and circuit training.
- June: we do a lot of cycling and gradually move on to roller skiing.
- End of June – end of September: it's three big months of volume blocks with lots of hours to build up a healthy fund!! Basically, the rhythm is as follows: 3 weeks of volume then 1 week of recovery/regeneration, "resuming" the rhythm.
- October-November: we reduce the hourly workload to stay fresh so we can arrive in shape at the beginning of December for the first selections!

The coach provides us with a training program based on our objectives (sprint or long distance). In addition, we have supervised sessions at the club, small gatherings (over 3 days) and large training camps (5 to 7 days).

How do you manage nutrition during the events and during your training?

Before, I would try the energy drinks in my friends' water bottles and I found them really bad! So, I was quite closed on the question of nutrition. But I made a great discovery with the Authentic Nutrition team and products. I liked it and saw that it had a real effect on my training and endurance. I was able to compare my outings with and without the sports drink, and I saw a clear difference: without it, I feel more dehydrated, weaker and more tired.
So, I regularly drink Booster +.
I also discovered the Flapjack energy bars and I admit that I love the chocolate one. I'm a picky eater, and I found something that suits me perfectly!
I tried the recovery drink on a training course, with milk. It was incredible because I felt like I was drinking hot chocolate! I could have drunk liters of it !!!
Overall, I notice that the varied flavors allow everyone on the team to be pleased.

Interview by Aurélie Joubin on July 27, 2022