32-year-old Johaug felt after a training session on roller skis around the turn of the month July / August that the body did not respond as it should and decided to do an examination.
- I felt that I needed to make a lactate profile, says Johaug to Norwegian Dagbladet and talks about a study to measure what is generally known as lactic acid.
The survey showed that the values looked good, which surprised Johaug who did not have the same feeling.
- I felt that the numbers were not correct.
I was stiff in the feet.
There was no heat, says Johaug to Dagbladet.
"Got the answers to the feelings I had"
She continued to exercise normally immediately after the tests but then reduced the amount and took it easy because her body did not feel well.
Then she did a new test at the Olympic Summit (Norwegian SOK)
- Then I got the answers to the feelings I had.
These were the worst lactate measurements I have had in a long time.
The second measurement showed that it was right to trust my gut feeling, says Johaug.
If she continued with hard training in the condition she was in, it could have been a career threat for the 32-year-old who was run down.
The doctor stopped testing
The oxygen level was normal but the lactate values were so poor that the physically demanding tests were stopped by the doctor in charge at the Olympic summit.
The national team management has been given some food for thought.
- Everything indicated that Therese should rest and then comes a test that shows that the values are good and that it was not so bad.
It is important to have established routines for making the right decision in situations like this, says the women's national team coach Ole Morten Iversen and is happy that Johaug and her team did not stare blindly at the test values but followed the feeling that existed.
Johaug rested for large parts of August before she started training again and went on snow for the first time ten days ago on Sognefjellet.