For the Norwegian traditional cross-country skier Helene Marie Fossesholm, there’s one day in November that will decide her entire season. She’s looking forward to it just as much as she’s dreading it. 

Helene Marie Fossesholm experienced every athlete’s nightmare when she got injured during a soccer match with sponsors in early September. 

Read More: Horrific injury for Fossesholm

Her kneecap dislocated, and the entire season could be hanging by a thread. 

In the best-case scenario, she will be on crutches for six weeks. But in the worst case, she’ll need surgery. The answer will come at her next check-up, which is scheduled for early November. 

“I’m both excited and nervous because, of course, I want a positive result. But at the same time, it will be good to get an answer,” Fossesholm tells NRK. 

The answer will largely determine the season. If surgery is required, the season is over. If not, she hopes to achieve her ambitious goal. 

“Trondheim is a goal for me, but right now I need to think short-term. If I think too much about it, it becomes really exhausting,” says Fossesholm. 

Regardless of the outcome of the check-up in early November, alternative training will be Fossesholm’s routine for the foreseeable future. 

Initially, it’s about half an hour on the bike with almost no resistance and some simple exercises to maintain knee mobility. 

She also wears a knee brace that she has to keep on all day, except when showering. 

Now, Fossesholm has found several relevant alternative workouts, including sitting in front of the ski ergometer. And she enjoys everything she can actually do, instead of stressing over what she can’t. 

On the way to a comeback 

After several difficult seasons, Fossesholm was dropped from the national team in April. It became an opportunity for a real restart. 

The 23-year-old put together her own support team, returned to her father Øivind Fossesholm as her coach, and a few months later, Fossesholm finally seemed to be on her way to a comeback. In just a few weeks in August, the Eiker girl was on the podium more times than in the last three seasons combined. 

Fossesholm was beaming when she spoke to Langrenn.com after finishing third overall in the Toppidrettsveka.

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.

*Author: Ingeborg Scheve/translation by Leandro Lutz