There are no borders for sports. And in the modern world, there are maximum conditions for scaling in any kind of physical activity. Our guest today has once again confirmed this with his example.
Nikolay Viktorovich Kislov – Candidate of Medical Sciences, oncologist of the highest qualification category with more than 20 years of experience. A doctor not only by profession, but also by vocation, for his patients he is a man with a big heart and an open soul and a true genius in his field. During his work, he cured hundreds of serious patients, and most importantly, instilled in them a desire to live and be boundless positive!
Concurrently, Nikolai Viktorovich is an amateur athlete who has conquered more than one ski marathon, including the Euroloppet and Russialoppet marathons.
About how he started his sports career, about ski marathons for doctors from all over the world and about his family – especially for SPINE.
SPINE: Nikolay Viktorovich, good afternoon! Thank you so much for coming to us for an interview! Tell us, how long have you been skiing? How did you come to this sport?
Nikolay Kislov: I have been skiing for about 10 years. And my supervisor encouraged me to take classes with him. At first I studied for myself, at the amateur level, but then I realized that I wanted something more - and started participating in competitions.
N.K.: It all started with the 2016 Deminsky Marathon. From that moment on, he began to participate regularly in this kind of amateur competitions. During the year, as a rule, I pass 4-5 marathons of the Russialoppet series, and this year I realized my long–standing dream – I took part in the Euroloppet and Worldloppet championships - which means I have risen a step higher.There was another plan – 3 years ago I decided to participate in the championship for doctors and pharmacists from all over the world as part of the König Ludwig Lauf marathon (part of the Worldloppet series) in the Alps. But there was an excess – there was not enough snow, which is why the race was canceled. Fortunately, everything worked out this year – I drove 2 races at this championship, took silver and bronze in my age group. A special responsibility was the fact that this year I was the only representative of Russia among doctors and pharmacists in this marathon.
SPINE: What other competitions do you remember?
N.K.: I met great athletes at König Ludwig Lauf and it was they who inspired me to participate in the Gsieser-Tal-Lauf, the Euroloppet cross–country ski marathon in Italy. There I rode 30 km classics and 42 km skating. I can say with confidence that this season was the most active and saturated with new results and emotions!
N.K.: These areas of my life perfectly complement each other. Skiing helps me to “unload” my mind, to get in good shape. At the moment when you run the race, all unnecessary thoughts leave your mind, there is only one thing left – to run and not fall halfway! (Laughs). This is what makes skiing attractive – you are in a moment, in a focused state, your thoughts are directed solely at your own actions. That is why, after a hard 10-hour working day, training is a great relief, a kind of renewal. In addition, skiing is always very diverse – different terrain, weather conditions, equipment – all this gives you the opportunity to test yourself, improve your skills, and develop.
I am used to doing in my life exactly those areas that I am keenly interested in. Skiing is one of them. For me, it presents new opportunities and new sensations.
SPINE: We also know that your life is closely connected with music! Can you tell us more about this?
N.K.: I grew up in a musical family. My parents are teachers at a music school, my mother is a pianist, and my father is an accordion player. Accordingly, this “fate did not pass me by” – I graduated from music school in piano and balalaika class. During his student years, he studied balalaika very seriously: he played in the municipal folk orchestra “Strings of Russia" and in other collectives. After that, medicine began to take up as much time as possible, so musical activity turned from a profession into a favorite hobby. Now I often play the piano and balalaika for my soul.
SPINE: How does your family and your environment relate to your hobby?
N.K.: With understanding and with interest! I took my youngest son with me to training and competitions, and he has already run children's amateur marathons several times – 3 km and 5 km – in Dubna and in the Moscow region.
My close people are maximally involved in this matter – my wife and my friends support me at marathons every year (especially at the Deminsky marathon – there is always a warm holiday atmosphere).
N.K.: Thank you for your interest and warm welcome!
Nikolay Viktorovich Kislov demonstrates by his example how effectively it is possible to combine professional activity and a favorite hobby, to go headlong into both spheres and achieve goals in them. To do what you love, what you really like and not to deviate from the dream by a single step is the slogan with which the hero of our interview today is confidently moving towards his goal and continues to inspire thousands of people around the world with his example with the support of SPINE.
“The SPINE boots are one of the best pieces of equipment I've ever used. I was saving them for a special occasion and fully experienced their quality and durability this season – more than 40 days of daily training, about 750 km – and all this with maximum comfort.”
Sport is freedom, it is a lifestyle that we create and improve daily. Let SPINE inspire new achievements!