#232 Sofie Karoline Haugen: from Winter Olympian to 69 half marathoner

<p>The Marathon Podcast is now proudly sponsored by Saysky Copenhagen. Use code TMP15 for 15% off at saysky.com.</p><p>Get 20% off a Strava annual subscription with code KRISTIAN</p><p>Save on FlexBeam using code WARWICKRUNS or this link: <a href="https://rechargehealthas.sjv.io/55GAPb">https://rechargehealthas.sjv.io/55GAPb</a></p><p>How does a winter Olympian become a 1:09 half marathoner in two years? Sofie Karoline Haugen skated for Norway at the 2022 Olympics, retired from speed skating in 2024, and has since run 10K in 31:57 and a 1:09 half marathon at the Copenhagen half, just a year after running 1:18 in the same city.</p><p>Kristian and Sofie have known each other for around 17 years and both come from speed skating. In this conversation, Sofie looks back on her career: the years without progress, the decision to move to Stavanger and rebuild her training, the 2019 breakthrough that took her to ninth in the world, and the Olympic Games. She explains why she walked away when she was still skating well, and how a casual 3K on the track turned into a running career.</p><p>Then the conversation turns to training. Sofie takes us through her week at 170 to 180 kilometers, including double threshold days, how she keeps her easy days easy, why consistency matters most, how she chooses shoes for different days as someone who works at the running store Löplabbet, and what she has learned about bicarbonate. She also reveals that her first marathon is coming up in November.</p><p>In this episode:</p><ul><li>From speed skating to a 1:09 half marathon</li><li>The years of hard work before the breakthrough</li><li>Moving to Stavanger and rebuilding her training</li><li>Qualifying for the Olympics</li><li>Why she quit skating in 2024</li><li>Her first races as a runner</li><li>Racing the Copenhagen half</li><li>Shoes for different days, including the Alphafly 4</li><li>A full week at 170 to 180 kilometers</li><li>Building strength without getting injured</li><li>Her first marathon</li><p><br></p></ul><p>Timestamps<br>00:00 Introducing Sofie<br>01:17 Saysky<br>01:51 Interview begins<br>02:19 From skater to 1:09 half marathoner<br>04:15 Sofie’s skating background<br>05:56 Years of hard work, and the setback<br>08:03 Moving to Stavanger<br>13:17 Ninth in the world<br>14:25 Qualifying for the Olympics<br>16:43 Why she quit skating<br>19:07 The moment she knew<br>22:36 Starting to run<br>23:16 A 9:29 3K<br>25:02 Working at Löplabbet and her coach<br>27:46 Racing in Co