Anna Haag is one of the Swedish cross-country ski legends with several Olympic and World Championship medals. She retired from active skiing in 2018, after which she participated in some long-distance ski races. She is now in the verge of her comeback as she has joined the ranks of Team Kaffebryggeriet.

In her long career, Anna managed to become a successful cross-country skier by getting one Olympic gold medal and one Olympic silver medal, and three silver medals and one bronze medal at the World Championships, all from the relay competitions. On the personal level, she also got two silver medals at the 2010 Olympics: one in the team sprint and the other in the 15 km skiathlon. In addition to these prestigious medals, she was a regular name among the top skiers in individual distances at the World Championships and the World Cup, and also at the Olympics.   

In June, Anna gave birth to her second child, and now five months later she is back in the game as a long-distance skier. The Swede now represents a Norwegian squad in Visma Ski Classics called Team Kaffebryggeriet, which is Vetle Thyli’s team. She is going to be racing this weekend in Orsa, Sweden, which is a familiar place for her as she used to ski there in her younger years.

“The fact that we compete in Orsa Grönklitt is an extra trigger. My first ski race was here,” 35-year-old Haag told Längd.se, our affiliate site.

After her retirement in 2018, Anna has taken part in a few races, but not very seriously. Now, just five months after giving birth to her second child, however, she is stepping into the long-distance arena.

When was the last time you raced?

“I did one race last year, but then I was quite pregnant. Before that, it was when I participated in all the races during Mountain Marathon Week last summer. The first year after I left World Cup skiing, I went for a few long-distance races with Team Ramudden and thought it was fun. Back then, I thought I wanted to do more. The following year, my first son was so young that I couldn’t do races, but I did Tjejvasan. Then, I thought that I would do more the following year, but then I got pregnant again and then after that, the pandemic hit us hard. So, there was nothing I could do about it.”

It is quite obvious that long-distance skiing appeals to Anna, and the idea of a comeback has been on her mind for some time. She decided to give it a go and started training on a regular basis this fall. However, it was not just a smooth ride for her as her duties with her family and a week-long sickness put the brakes on her preparation.

How is your shape as we speak?

“I have absolutely zero control over it now. I’m back from my pregnancy and childbirth, but I’m not back in shape yet when compared to what I used to be. Honestly, I don’t have any idea about my current shape.”

How much do you train on a weekly basis?

“I tend to do 8-18 hours per week. I try to find time for training whenever possible. I usually have very short workouts and some CrossFit sessions. I’m back because I think it’s fun to compete, not to live the way I did when I was serious about it. I like the part of having a goal to train for.”

Why did you choose Team Kaffebryggeriet?

“It was a bit of a coincidence; I did a few races for Team Ramudden earlier, but they have a full team now, a tight organization with very talented skiers and serious goals. I just didn’t want to burden them. So, I felt that Team Kaffebryggeriet suited my purpose better, and I was told that they needed some female skiers. So, I sent them an email and got a response quickly. They thought it sounded fun, and then we decided to go for it. I didn’t even meet them until two weeks ago. I immediately felt it was going to be fun. They are a bunch of pretty young guys and here I come as a mother of two. Maybe I can contribute something.”

How many races are you planning to do this winter?

“You never know how it works with the kids and if you stay healthy. The plan is to do all events in January. Then, we go home after that, and I’ll stay put in February. We’ll see how it goes after that.”

Based on what you have told us, what are your goals?

“The goal is to feel that I can handle an entire race. One of the challenges is to get enough energy. If you run out of juice, you are smoked. I hope that in some race I can feel that I’m going all in, to be able to use the capacity that I have, but right now I don’t know about my performance level. In long-distance races, there are so many aspects to consider. There are also three girls in the team, and we can help each other. I’m really looking forward to that.”

At the premiere in Orsa, there will be short and fast races. How do you think they are going to suit you?

“I think that’s the biggest challenge as I’m getting older and slower. But when I heard that the premiere would be in Orsa Grönklitt, it was an extra booster. My first ski races were here when I was a member of Orsa SK as a youth and junior skier.”

Can you tell us about your everyday life?

“Now, I’ve been working out between six and seven in the morning. After that, I eat my breakfast and drop off the oldest kid at preschool and then I’ll do my second exercise. Then comes lunch and some work, which is keeping in touch with our partners. Doing stuff for them such as posting things on social media, filming videos, organizing lectures and such. It involves a lot of phone meetings. In the evening, I take care of my children and go to bed at nine, but sometimes I work at night when the kids are sleeping.”

This weekend will be an exciting one for this mother-of-two as she steps back into the battlefield. It remains to be seen how well she can do and how this winter shapes up to be for her. Regardless of her performance, she is back in action because she loves the sport and wants to be part of the skiing family.