Emelie Forsberg is one of the most accomplished mountain runners of her generation. The Swedish athlete has won some of the biggest races on the international circuit, from Trofeo Kima to Transvulcania, and she’s also a two-time Skyrunner World Series champion. Beyond competition, Forsberg is known for her connection to the outdoors, her love of cooking and her ability to balance elite sport with family life. After becoming a parent of three with her partner, fellow ultrarunner Kilian Jornet, she shares her perspective on how to return to running, train smart and keep it joyful.
Adapting to postpartum running
For Forsberg, motherhood has reshaped her training in many ways. “I think each pregnancy has offered different challenges, and I think overall I have/will become a stronger runner to cope with obstacles like sleep deprivation, busy everyday life, sick children, etc.,” Forsberg told Canadian Running.”I have less hours than I had before, but I think with the years of accumulating hours, I can still keep my endurance by training smarter, adding enough long runs and more specific training.” Her perspective is that fewer training hours don’t have to mean a decline in fitness—efficiency and targeted work matter more than volume.
Easing the intimidation factor
Many new or returning trail runners feel out of place in such a competitive scene. “I can very much relate to this,” Forsberg says. “But I keep coming back to how much I love being out in nature, how good it makes me feel, and also who cares about others’ results, really? I mean, you can get happy if you see someone doing well, but a bad result is just a number .” Her advice is to focus on the personal joy of being outside, rather than external comparisons.
Training beyond running
Cross-training has always played a major role in Forsberg’s success. Living in the mountains, she finds ski mountaineering to be the perfect complement to trail running. “I do ski mountaineering, which I believe is one of the absolute best cross-training activities for trail running. You get cardio, strong legs and lungs going uphill, and the speed that you can bring into running!”
Ultrarunner’s stew: fuel chilly runs with this tasty, protein-packed dish
Fueling with simple snacks
Forsberg’s passion for food has long been part of her identity, both through her cookbook Midsommar and her Instagram kitchen experiments. Asked about favourite snacks for running, she points to natural, nutrient-dense ingredients.
“When it comes to snacks during runs, I love to bake with dates or apricots, which are full of vitamins, especially potassium, magnesium & iron, as well as fibre. An energy ball can be apricots, ginger, coconut oil and cacao.” For new runners, this kind of homemade fuel shows that sports nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated.
The metrics that matter
Like many top athletes, Forsberg knows recovery is just as critical as effort, and she uses data from her COROS wearables to keep training in balance. “I think it’s great help to see the training load (important to use hr monitor during the training) and HRV, sleep, those are my go to metrics to see that I´m training and recovering well. They can be a great help, as I might feel great one week, but if I go over my optimal training load, I will 99 per cent pay for it the weeks after.”
While Forsberg’s accomplishments are beyond the reach of most of us, her emphasis on finding happiness in running, no matter your level or ability, should resonate with all runners. “Progress doesn’t always show in numbers; sometimes it’s just feeling better or looking forward to your next run,” she says.
