Eric Heiden
Eric Heiden
Eric Arthur Heidenis an American former long track speed skater, road cyclist and track cyclist. He who won all of main the men's speed skating races that he could have won during his active years. Heiden won unprecedented five individual gold medals, and set four Olympic records and one world record at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York, United States. He was the most successful athlete at those Olympic Games, single-handedly winning more gold medals than...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSpeed Skater
Date of Birth14 June 1958
CityMadison, WI
CountryUnited States of America
I try to get out two to tree times a week to do something aerobically, either running or riding a bike. Then I lift weights a couple of times a week.
Provided he skates up to his potential and doesn't get sick or anything like that, I think he's got a fairly good chance. My biggest concern is that he will get distracted by it all. Physically, no one can beat him at 1,500, 5,000 or 10,000. He's just got to be really focused on what's going on and not get all wrapped up in the potential distractions.
Secondly, you got to have the right frame of mind. There are a lot of people with the right tools but just don't have the drive.
When I was skating, there was ice only for a really short period of time. So we would have to do a lot of other cross training type things.
This team has the potential to win more medals and have more success than the one in Salt Lake. We should see at least one man on the podium with every race, and that's being conservative.
When you think about these single distances championships and these World Cup races, people can make a career out of skating one or two distances.
What I do right now is very rewarding.
We used to lift weights a couple of times a week, we did a lot of running. I enjoyed the variety.
We never did a lot of weights, but a lot of repetitions. The most I would use doing squats was 300 pounds.
They're just big in the eyes of the American public.
One thing is having skated five of the best races I've probably could have skated. It was nice to peak at the right time and to do it in an important time in somebody's career.
It's not a sport you get famous at. If I wanted to be famous, I would have stuck with hockey.
Heck, gold medals, what can you do with them?
He has a very good feel for the ice. He can do things on the ice that most people can't.