By Johan Trygg
It has now been a month since Britta Johansson Norgren, Lager 157 Ski Team, unhappily got her feet to frostbite on Engadin La Diagonela in Switzerland.
Now, however, Britta is ready for a comeback. On Sunday, she will be on the starting line in Jizerska 50.
“The shape is good! I feel that I should be able to fight in the top on Sunday,” says Britta.
Britta Johansson Norgren has won the Champion competition the last five years. Season XI, the new Grand Classics, was a big goal for her, but since she was not ready for a comeback at Marcialonga two weeks ago, that goal was out of the picture.
Now she has her sights set on Vasaloppet on March 7th, but already on Sunday, she intends to be part of the fight at the top of the Jizerska 50. A race she won last year and also 2016 and 2018.
After the frostbite on Engadin La Diagonela Britta has been out of the ski tracks for a while. It was not until Monday, February 1st, that she was back on skis again for the first time.
“The week before, however, I had been training indoors with SkiErg and strength training,” Britta says.
Rehabilitation has gone better and faster than she could have expected.
“It has gone very well. The feet have healed all the time, even a little faster and better than expected,” Britta says and continues;
“It has been challenging for the body. I have felt that the healing process has affected the body. I may have reacted a little harder to training than I expected sometimes. However, I have constantly taken steps forward, and it has felt better and better.”
“The last week has felt very good. I have not done any speed work outside yet, but indoors I have a good view of what I have done on SkiErg and a treadmill before.”
So the shape, based on hard workouts on SkiErg, is good?
“The shape is good! Now I have trained a little bit harder considering Vasaloppet and am a bit affected by it, but the form is there. I feel that I should be able to be among the best on Sunday. Of course, it is one thing to do something in training compared to 50 km in a race. I’m pretty excited about how the body will react.”
Do you adjust anything with your ski boots, considering your frostbite?
“In training so far, I have used my husband’s ski boots in size 45 and had warm socks. Now I can wear ski boots that are only a number larger than my previous ones. I will be on the starting line with these and shoe covers, not risk freezing anything, but this is not something that should affect my performance in any way,” says Britta.
How fun will it be to be able to compete again?
“I’m very anticipative. For me, it feels like the season is starting again, and I am a little extra nervous and don’t know how good I will be, compared to the others.”
