Therese Johaug opens up about pregnancy: “I don’t like it”

“I don’t like this. I like what’s coming. But I don’t like being pregnant. You don’t feel like yourself.”

Therese Johaug is brutally honest in an interview with NRK in late October. The 37‑year‑old’s bump is growing day by day, and she and her husband, Nils Jakob Hoff, are expecting their second child in January.

For Johaug, the time before the birth isn’t something she enjoys. She says recent weeks have been marked by back pain that worsened after a workout. “I’ve only trained two sessions in three weeks. It’s been terrible,” she admits. With a little over 70 days to her due date at the time of the interview, she jokes she feels “far too pregnant,” and that everyday tasks like picking things up, putting on socks, or getting in and out of the car have become difficult. “I feel like an 80‑year‑old woman… I get cranky, really cranky. I haven’t been the best spouse,” she says with a laugh.

Johaug, who returned to racing after her first child was born in spring 2023 and even started at the 2025 World Championships in Trondheim—taking bronze in the 50 km—says the combination of pregnancy and back trouble made her feel she “lost it,” even mentally.

Bente Prytz Mjølstad, a GP and researcher at NTNU, notes that experiences of pregnancy vary widely, and it may be especially challenging for athletes used to full control of their bodies. While pregnancy isn’t an illness, it’s not a normal state either, she says, and societal expectations that pregnant women should feel happy can add pressure when reality doesn’t match the ideal. Changing weight and body shape can challenge body image and self‑esteem, and carrying a baby is “an extra job” that consumes physical and mental capacity and affects daily life and self‑care.

Athlete Amalie Iuel shares her contrasting perspective: she found pregnancy fairly cozy, though she also felt the inevitable decline in performance and sudden limits during certain exercises. Since giving birth in September 2023, Iuel has trained back and set multiple personal bests, most recently at the World Championships in Tokyo.

Despite the tough moments, Johaug emphasizes she is grateful to be pregnant: “I feel very lucky.” Using an athlete’s metaphor, she says the “gold medal” lies ahead and she can endure the remaining months. She also plans to work as an NRK cross‑country expert at the 2026 Olympics in Italy, only a few weeks after her due date.