Elena Roos: “Now, I would tell me myself not to stress so much.”

Even though you had to close the season a little earlier than expected, you have enjoyed many fantastic results this year, congratulations! What were your highlights of 2021?

First of all, I have to mention my silver medal in the individual sprint at this year’s European Orienteering Championships in Neuchâtel. Of course, I am delighted with the other medals I have won this year in international relay races (European and world championships), where the focus is on the team rather than individuals as is usually the case in this sport. But I have been working for years for this individual sprint medal, which is why I was so happy to finally get it at this year’s European Championships on home soil.

You have a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Health Sciences from ETH. Why did you decide on this course?

Initially, I wanted to study Human Movement Sciences at ETH because I wanted to be a sports teacher. Coming from Ticino in southern Switzerland, this brought me to Zurich. I started at university in 2011 when the course had just been renamed “Health Sciences”. At the time, I did not think too much about whether this new name would result in major restructuring. And because orienteering was already a major part of my life back then, it suited me that my course was focussing on both sport and health.
Looking back, it was certainly a good decision. For example, in my master’s dissertation I was able to combine my knowledge as a health scientist with that of being an athlete. I conducted a lab-based study into performance diagnostics over two different intervals and investigated the effect on training. Once I had obtained my Master’s, I added the teaching diploma. This combination gave me various career options going forwards.

What motivated you to study and continue with your sport at the same time?

When I started university, I had just left the junior squad and had not made the jump straight away into the elite squad. I certainly did not make things easy for myself. But because the National Training Centre for Orienteering is based in Zurich, I was able to keep my fitness at a high level while also studying.
If I had not studied at ETH in Zurich, I probably would not have had the same levels of motivation. It was also great for me that all my fellow students were interested in sport. So I quickly found like-minded people and friends who, like me, spent their lunch break doing sport, be it out running or in the ASVZ. It was normal to train.
Because I was getting better and better at orienteering and was able to join the elite squad, I probably because something of an extreme case during my time at university. But people were always very understanding of what I was doing and my frequent periods of absence.
Looking back, it was great for my “academic” and “personal” life. I had two “normal” years at university and enjoyed real student life. I don’t feel that I have missed out on anything in life so far.

At the moment, alongside your career in orienteering, you are also working part time. How do you manage to do your job as a top athlete and find the time to train as well? What does a day in your life look like?

If I am not participating in competitions or at a training camp, I am working in performance diagnostics at the external page Kerenzerberg sports centre and as the head of athletics training for tennis players at external page PK Coaching. In addition to this, I sometimes stand in for colleagues giving sports lessons.
So no two days are ever the same. Without a doubt, my training takes up most of my day. It is often very hard to organise everything and integrate training and my extra jobs into my plans.
Sometimes it feels like I need more time to plan everything than is actually available for everything I need to do. It is not always easy for me to find a good balance between my periods of attendance and the job descriptions.

This spring, the ETH Alumni Association launched a health campaign under the hashtag AlumnigETHealthier to help people with their exercise, nutrition and relaxation during the pandemic. How has the pandemic affected your daily life over the last year?

There were no competitions so I was not able to compare myself with my competitors at an international level for over a year. So it was only at this year’s European sprint championship that I knew what form I was in. Also because all my part-time jobs involve sport, in the spring of 2020 I suddenly had no work anymore.
Despite this, I was able to draw a lot of positives from this time. Actually, it’s just like after the exams at ETH. Once it’s over and done with, it doesn’t feel so bad.

Do you have any personal tips for how our readers can integrate exercise better into their daily lives?

Obviously, I go running a lot. This exercise is very good for me, not just because it is training but because it clears my head too. So far in life, I have always taken my most important decisions when running through the woods. Of course, a good walk is just as good for that!

If you were about to start university again, what advice would you give yourself?

Looking back, I often miss the time I spent at university. I found my course very interesting and it was so easy to meet up with friends and spend time with them. At the time of course it often felt very different. Everything was stressful and I had a lot on my plate. But in actual fact, it was the best time of my life! I would tell me myself not to stress so much. Sometimes I was stressed when I saw that my fellow students had more time than me to prepare for an exam. But now I know that many of them actually spent an extra hour sleeping with their head in a book while I was training.