Heidi Weng delivered an impressive performance in the 10km race at the Oslo Marathon, earning silver at the Norwegian Championships. Now, the 34-year-old admits she might consider focusing more on running once her top-level cross-country skiing career comes to an end.

During the Norwegian national team’s training camp at Mosetertoppen, Weng shared that running brings her great joy and motivation. She enjoys chasing fast times on both track and road. Despite her long career in skiing, Weng has no plans to quit competitive sports entirely — not even when she eventually steps away from elite skiing.

For now, her focus is on the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. But while some speculate, she might continue until the 2030 Games, Weng herself doubts it.

“I don’t think I’ll have the motivation for another Olympics in five years. I love competing, and I don’t think I’ll get tired of that anytime soon. But being away two weeks every month doesn’t sound appealing for another four years. You should never say never, but I’d be surprised if I’m still there,” she said in an interview with rb.no.

Her recent second-place finish at the Norwegian national 10km championship has clearly sparked more interest in running. Weng, who has also shown strong results in mountain running, is tempted to test herself further on the track.

“I’m taking one season at a time. I’d like to do some more races, and I don’t yet have personal bests for 3,000m or 10,000m, so I’d like to use my fitness to set some times there. We’ll see how things go — but if I continue, running might be what motivates me most,” she explained.

Before any potential switch to athletics, however, the coming winter brings another major goal — the Olympics in Val di Fiemme, Italy. The venue, Lago di Tesero, holds a special place in Weng’s heart: it hosted her first World Championships back in 2013.

“It’s really special that the Olympics will be in Val di Fiemme since my first championships were there. My wax technician is from Predazzo, just five minutes from the stadium, so it feels special for both of us,” Weng told rb.no.

Weng’s debut at the 2013 World Championships brought her two medals — bronze in skiathlon and gold in the relay — as well as strong finishes in the distance races. She now hopes to find her Olympic form again in Val di Fiemme, just as she did for last winter’s World Championships in Trondheim.

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