When Erik Widing first moved to Saskatoon from Sweden, he did not expect to be a student athlete. A few months later, he won the Sled Dog Open, an annual cross-country race held at the University of Saskatchewan.

Widing placed first in the men’s eight kilometre event, out of 62 competitors from across Western Canada. His final time was 25:05.

Heading into the race, Widing felt confident about his chances of success.

“I knew I had the chance of winning if I ran smart and on the second half, I could feel that my tactics had worked out and that I was stronger than the other ones in the front,” he said.

However, Widing still felt a sense of relief when he finally reached the end of the race.

“It was a really good feeling to cross the finish line first. I basically had an adrenaline-rush for the rest of the weekend. My teammates were very supportive during the race, which made the feeling even better,” Widing said.

Growing up in Stockholm,  Sweden, running was a family affair for Widing. It was his family’s influence that first got him interested in the sport. However, over time his motivations have changed.

“As I became better, the actual competition became the motivation. To me there is no better feeling than in moments of winning races or making really good times,” Widing said.   

Widing is in the midst of his first year of a PhD in computer science, making him unique amongst other student athletes. It was his degree that originally drew him to the U of S.

“After finishing my master’s in engineering physics, I worked as an engineer for two years,” Widing said. “During that time I came in contact with a professor at the department of computer science, who after a while suggested that I should apply for a PhD with him as supervisor. This felt like an opportunity that was too good to miss, so I applied.”

Like any busy student, Widing strives to balance his schoolwork with other parts of his life.

“Since I came here for my PhD, that will always be my first priority. Most of the time it is not a problem to combine student athletics with a PhD, as long as I plan my time efficiently. I am some years older than most of the Huskies athletes, so I am not sure for how long I will be able to keep the level I am at now,” Widing said.

Through his time as a student athlete, Widing has gathered some useful advice to share with his fellow Huskies.

“Have patience; the results usually come for those who manage to endure the training for a longer period,” Widing said.

While dedication is required for success in any sport, Widing also believes that there is nothing wrong with taking time to rest.

“Another [piece of] advice I got from a coach back in Sweden that I have found useful is that it is not those who exercise most who win, it is those who dare to skip a session every now and then who win. This might seem like strange advice for some, but many athletes find it really hard to skip sessions, even when they feel that they should,” Widing said.

Ultimately, Widing’s involvement with running has helped him feel at home in his adopted country.

“The best thing about being a Huskie is that it has given me an opportunity to get to know a lot of new people in Saskatoon. Since I come from another country, I figured this was a good way to get some new friends in my new hometown.”

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Supplied / Josh Schaefer Photography