Setback for Therese Johaug: "Had to pull the emergency brake"

Setback for Therese Johaug: "Had to pull the emergency brake"

Therese Johaug has faced a setback ahead of her return at the Norwegian season opening in Beitostølen on Saturday. "I had to pull the emergency brake," says Johaug.

The iconic athlete discussed her comeback plan that she announced after her maternity leave in May 2023, following her retirement in late winter 2022.

Every step has been closely monitored by Norwegian fans as Johaug trained in wintry Beitostølen alongside another skiing queen, Marit Bjørgen. Johaug has continuously strived to balance her training with family life. However, after two training sessions before picking up her daughter Kristin from preschool, she felt overwhelmed and recognized that her recovery time was inadequate. The overall load on her body had become excessive.

"The advantage is that I know my body quite well. I pulled the emergency brake," Johaug told NRK.

Recent developments occurred a couple of weeks ago, and Johaug acknowledged that resting was beneficial for her body. "My form has significantly improved. It's about taking care of the surplus. This isn’t just about the physical aspect; maintaining mental readiness is also essential," she added, referencing her powerful endurance capability, likening it to a well-engineered car.

Currently, her training is focused mainly on the 50 km event at the home world championships in Trondheim in early March, stating that anything else is just a bonus.

Norwegian premiere in Beitostølen:

• November 22: 11:30 AM – Classic Sprint Prologue
• November 22: 1:00 PM – Classic Sprint Finals
• November 23: 9:50 AM – Ladies 10 km Classic
• November 23: 11:20 AM – Men's 10 km Classic
• November 24: 11:20 AM – Ladies 10 km Free
• November 24: 12:50 PM – Men's 10 km Free