Just over a year ago, Charlotte Kalla ended her elite professional career. In the Fall, she will be releasing her autobiography.

Here Kalla talks about the book preparations, being at the top of the sales lists even before the book release, and what she misses and doesn’t miss from her elite professional career.

Charlotte Kalla broke through to the world of traditional cross-country skiing in the first days of 2008. That’s when, through a series of solid competitions, she made it to the final climb of Alpe Cermis at the Tour de Ski. Once there, she caught Virpi Kuitunen, who started first and, with a kilometer to go, made the decisive move.

The victory in the Tour de Ski and the three gold medals at the World Championships and the Winter Olympics make the 35-year-old former professional athlete one of Sweden’s most successful cross-country skiers.

She put her skis on the shelf a year ago, but she has been seen extensively in the media since then. 

Last week, Kalla told Langd.se that in the fall, she would release her autobiography “Skam den som ger sig” (Shame on giving up – free translation).

“The idea of ​​a book has been there during my career. But it was when I did my summer talk last year I felt there were many topics I wanted to cover in a book. And it has been a fascinating process,” says Kalla.

She has written the book with Johan Esk (sports journalist and columnist at Dagens Nyheter).

“I have been sincere in the book. The book is written in the first person; those are my experiences. What I felt and reflected on during my career was the important thing.”

You’ve done a lot of interviews throughout your career; what has been the most significant difference with the interviews done now for your book?

“This time, I was the one who had chosen the topics I wanted to discuss. So, it has been on my agenda, which is probably the biggest difference. Then Johan had the privilege of talking to people close to me. And when I read the draft texts, I feel that my grandfather would have ended the conversation with me as a ten-year-old in the barn as Johan described,” says Kalla.

You like to be at the top of the results lists; now you are at the top of the sales charts for the book to be released in October; how do you feel about that?

“I am super happy about the response, and it feels great that many people want to read what Johan and I have put so much work and commitment into.”

Just over a year has passed since you ended your elite career. What have you been missing? And on the other hand, what you don’t miss?

“I miss the people in and around the sport, of course. And I don’t miss the afternoon sessions when the weather hasn’t cooperated,” says Charlotte Kalla.