Internationally successful endurance athletes are the product of genetic ability and many years of systematic training. Inherited endowment and the genetic ability to positively adapt to training are important considerations when discussing endurance performance; however, training of the genetic gifts at certain stages of growth and development may ultimately be more important. At the current level of international competition in endurance sport, one can only succeed after years of effective training, regardless of innate ability. There are many common characteristics that are attributed to the development of internationally successful endurance athletes. These factors include: 1. Physical activity during childhood and early adolescence. 2. Age of sport specialization. 3. Long-term development. 4. Training volume and intensity during adolescence and young adulthood. 5. High-quality coaching. 6. Training partners and team atmosphere. The majority of these factors if not all of them are found in successful biathlon (cross country skiing and rifle marksmanship) programs in Germany, distance running programs in Kenya, and cross country ski programs in Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Local and national programs in these countries have exerted a strong presence in their respective sports over several decades. Currently, all countries list several athletes in top ten overall world rankings in each sport. In an increasingly competitive sports world, these factors are necessary for optimal development to occur. In order to understand optimal models of athlete development, this paper will outline the time course and developmental patterns that are typical of the world's best winter endurance athletes. Utilizing articles from the scientific literature and data from surveys and interviews with athletes, coaches, and sport scientists this paper will compare and contrast the characteristics that are common to winter endurance sports and distance running.
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