The Pro Team athlete who switched from football to long-distance skiing two years ago got a real test when World Champion Frida Karlsson moved in during pre-season training.

The former professional footballer got a dream start to her long-distance skiing career last fall. As a newcomer to the top Swedish Pro Team, Team Ramudden, Julie Kvale Støstad spent two weeks with Frida Karlsson during the most crucial part of pre-season training. There, she was tested against the Swedish World Champion in everything—long sessions, intervals, and strength workouts.

“There was a bit of a level difference, you could say,” says Støstad, who soaked up everything she could.

“There were some sessions where we did diagonal stride uphill, and she quickly disappeared out of sight. But we started out together, and it was fun to learn from her and see how she does things.”

Completely by Chance

The whole thing came together because Frida Karlsson was forced to completely change her pre-season training. A persistent foot injury meant she couldn’t follow the Swedish national team’s program and had to train differently for several weeks just before the season started.

Karlsson then traveled to Tenerife, where she stayed with the women’s team from Team Ramudden.

“It was kind of random. Frida had sent a message to Emilie because Emilie had told Frida that we were going to Tenerife, and when Frida was about to leave, the hotel was full. So, she asked if she could come with us. We had rented a house, so she moved in with us,” says Støstad to Langrenn.com.

“I was a bit nervous at first. I didn’t know her and didn’t know what she was like as a person. But she’s just a normal girl—really nice and social.”

“You don’t need to make it so complicated”

There’s one thing that Støstad took away from the training camp with the Swedish World Champion, and that has become important in her own approach: keeping it simple.

“Frida does things very simply, and she easily adapts. She doesn’t overthink and doesn’t see the point in making intervals complicated. Simple, but high quality,” she says.

“You don’t need to make training so difficult. Frida is really good at that.”

Støstad also noticed that Karlsson applies this simplicity in every area: training, nutrition, and recovery.

More Food, Less Fuss

When Støstad switched from football to long-distance skiing two years ago, she quickly noticed that cross-country skiers are generally much more focused on diet.

“It was a big transition from football to skiing and long-distance. As a football player, you could eat whatever you wanted. No one said anything about it. That hasn’t changed now either, but back then I never thought, ‘I need to get a lot of carbs in before tomorrow’s hard session.’ Now I do. It’s good that there’s more focus on that,” she says.

At the same time, Støstad feels that some skiers get too caught up in details and specific products. That’s where Karlsson is different.

“Frida is really good at keeping it simple: eating enough and eating regular food,” says Støstad, who has picked up some good habits.

“I’ve gotten better at eating with the next day in mind. If I have a hard session, I don’t just have a salad for dinner. And we make sure to get some protein in during the evening,” she says.

Showing Results

Støstad feels that better focus on nutrition is paying off.

“I feel more energized. You quickly notice it if you haven’t been careful with your diet. You get tired and don’t get the quality or results you want from the session,” she says.

Strength Focus Surprised Her

There was also one part of Karlsson’s training that stood out to Støstad.

“She trains quite a lot of heavy strength. I found that fascinating,” says Støstad and continues:

“I’ve done quite a bit of heavy strength before, since there’s a lot of that in football, but not everyone does that in skiing, and it really varies how much people do. So, it was fun to see that it works.”

She’s experienced the benefits of that type of training herself.

“I’m an explosive type who needs a lot of strength. Others don’t need as much because they ski in a completely different way.”

Also Read – Stopped strength training: “Never been stronger”

Laid the Foundation for the World Championship Gold

Despite a season plagued by injury, Frida Karlsson arrived at the World Championships in Trondheim in top form and won gold in the 50km race—the first-time women raced the distance at a major international championship.

What did you think when Frida Karlsson won gold in Trondheim?

“I was really happy for Frida and thought it was well-deserved!”

Julie Støstad, however, is unsure if the camp with Team Ramudden in Tenerife was the decisive factor.

“I mean, the foundation for that success probably wasn’t laid there, no. She’s worked hard for many years for that gold.”

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