When Johaug was at her best before retiring in 2022, her VO2max was 82 ml/kg/min. That’s sky-high — higher than both Bente Skari and Marit Bjørgen, the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time, achieved at their peaks. It’s also higher than several of the men on Norway’s national team.

VO2max measures the body’s ability to absorb and use oxygen — the higher it is, the better. A higher VO2max increases performance in endurance sports such as cross-country skiing.

But when Johaug decided to make a comeback for the World Championships in Trondheim, her VO2max had dropped significantly.

“The last time I tested my oxygen uptake, in August last year, it was much, much worse — it was 74. I could feel it clearly when I started training for Trondheim; my capacity was really poor,” she said in the podcast Johaug & Gukild.

Also Read: Changed coach – increased VO2max by 10 percent

A serious training push

One of Johaug’s main goals last autumn was to rebuild her capacity — and the effort paid off. Just over six months later, she was close to her career-best VO2 max again.

“What do you think my VO2max was during the World Championships in Trondheim?” Johaug asked.

“I was probably close to 80. I have a standard treadmill workout I always compare myself with, and before the World Championships, I started to approach my old numbers again,” she said.

The “gold session”

Johaug also revealed her famous “gold session,” the workout she has used for years as her standard performance test.

“So, what’s the treadmill session?” she explained:

“I set the incline to 11.5 percent and run for five times for six minutes. The first interval is at 13.5 km/h, then 13.8, 14.0, 14.3, and finally 14.5,” Johaug said.

“When you run six minutes at 11.5 percent and 14.5 km/h, it’s tough. I don’t think I’ll ever get there again.”

Johaug also holds the Norwegian record on the treadmill 5000m at 10 percent incline, set during the Ragde Indoor Challenge.

“That’s what I’m best at: gentle uphill running on the treadmill where it’s all about capacity,” Johaug said.

FACT BOX: VO2max

VO2max is a measure of the body’s ability to absorb and utilize oxygen — the higher the number, the better the endurance potential. Cross-country skiers are among the athletes with the highest VO2max in the World.

Elite male skiers typically have values from 80 up to over 90 ml/kg/min. For women, it’s slightly lower, usually between 70 and 75 ml/kg/min. Bjørn Dæhlie is believed to have recorded the highest VO2max ever measured among skiers.

Read More: VO2max – Who has the highest values in history?

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