“I thought it would pass quickly” – Magni Smedås on exhaustion, recovery, and the Vasaloppet dream

Three years ago, Smedås decided to focus fully on long-distance skiing. The Team Eksjöhus recruit – who had around twenty World Cup starts to her name – had already shown her strength in endurance races, and in her first full Ski Classics season (2022/2023) she won both Marcialonga and Jizerská 50. The following year she claimed victory in Birkebeinerrennet and finished second in Vasaloppet.

Heading into last winter, she set her sights on qualifying for the 2025 World Championships in Trondheim:
“I was in the best shape of my life that autumn, but in October I caught a lingering virus. After that, my body just wouldn’t respond. I kept getting sick over and over. I went through lots of tests, but nothing showed up. Later I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. I barely knew what it meant – and I thought it would pass quickly,” Magni says.

It didn’t. Because of recurring illness, she wasn’t able to compete at all after the Ski Classics opener in Bad Gastein in mid-December 2024.

Was it “too much,” trying to chase both the World Championships and Ski Classics goals?
“My doctor is convinced that the virus infection in October was the trigger. When I tried to get in shape for the Norwegian season opener in Beitostølen, my body didn’t respond at all. It was like my nervous system had burned out. My body couldn’t handle the stress – neither physical nor mental – that always comes when the season approaches. When I needed five days to recover after a 10 km race, I knew something was seriously wrong.”

How has the road back been?
“Tough! I sometimes still wake up in the morning not feeling rested, with pain in my back or head, and feeling like nothing has meaning. But those days are getting fewer. In recent weeks, training has started to work much better.”

At the end of August, she pinned on a race bib for the first time in nine months – and it was a triumph, winning the roller-ski race Alliansloppet in Trollhättan.
“That victory meant an incredible amount to me; it was very emotional considering everything I’ve been through,” says Smedås, who overhauled her entire training approach this summer.

In recent years she used to do one long session a day. Now she trains two shorter sessions per day – never more than four hours total, and almost all at an easy pace. Before Alliansloppet she didn’t do a single high-intensity workout.

What are your goals for the winter?
“Most of all, to complete a full season and feel that my body is cooperating. Focusing entirely on Ski Classics has allowed me to lower my shoulders and avoid stress. The schedule also suits me, with several longer breaks between races. The plan is to treat the first events as preparation for the most prestigious ones later in the season.”

Her most important race this winter is obvious:
“I’ve been second and fourth in Vasaloppet. The course suits me, but I’m like a diesel engine; it takes me time to get going. In the women’s race, the first 10 km are extremely decisive. I hope I’ll be ready for that this winter. It would be a dream to win the biggest race of them all,” says the 30-year-old from Lillehammer with a smile.

TIPS: Magni’s best double-poling advice
Magni Smedås is one of the very best long-distance skiers when it comes to double poling. Here’s her advice for improving your technique:

“Double poling, like many aspects of cross-country skiing, is all about technique and timing. You need to stay flexible and adapt your movement to the terrain. Especially uphill, keep your arms close to your body and use your weight over the poles – it saves a lot of energy. Many people tend to overuse their triceps,” Magni explains, adding:
“The ski-erg machine is an excellent tool for training when there’s no snow, but the technique is slightly different from skiing on snow. Many people on the ski-erg stand with straight legs and pull too much with their arms. Remember to keep your arms close to your body, stay active with your legs, and finish the hand movement at your hips,” says Smedås.

FACTS/ Magni Smedås results in Vasaloppet races
Tjejvasan 2022: 3rd
Tjejvasan 2023: 2nd
Vasaloppet 2023: 4th
Vasaloppet 2024: 2nd

Note: Tjejvasan (30 km) takes place Saturday, February 21, 2026, and Vasaloppet (90 km) is held on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Photo: Vasaloppet and Team Eksjöhus