Main points translated from Norwegian to english.
Update LetsRun used AI to dub the interview in English here:
You can now listen in Norwegian with English captions here:
“It was hopeless. Unfortunately my legs really felt stuck in the ground today,”
“I am of course disappointed, but that is often the reality right now unfortunately,”
“Very bad. Much worse than I had believed and perhaps hoped. But this becomes a reality check on how bad it has been. I believe 5000 metres is more realistic. It places somewhat different demands,”
“I’m of course more skeptical now than I was. I had not thought I would be as bad as this now. But it could in addition be a slightly bad day today and something very marginal that makes it go so badly.”
“You do as well as you can. But I have to be realistic when I have not been able to train as I should since April. I just have to make the best of it. I’m not a person who lies down and starts crying. I must rather get up and try going on the elliptical. Now it’s not good enough for 1500 metres, but I believe it can be better in the 5000 metres,”
LetsRun update: a Norwegian journalist from VG sent us this translation:
Very bad. Much worse than I had thought and maybe hoped. But it’s a reality check on how bad it has been. I think 5000 meters is more realistic. That sets a bit of a different demand.
Of course, I’m disappointed, but unfortunately that’s probably the reality now.
I think I might be able to respond a bit in this race and hopefully do quite a lot better in the 5000 meters attempt.
I can feel that it’s a bit worse along the way, but I’m very lucky that many others fall off. That makes my task significantly easier, but still it goes so badly… The race setup is actually perfect. I get pulled right up behind number five, and everyone else on the outside is super nervous and making lots of mistakes. It’s disappointing when I get it served to me like that. But I’m not where I should be.
You do the best you can. But I have to be realistic when I haven’t been able to train properly since April. I just have to make the best of it. I’m not the kind of person who lies down to cry. I’d rather get back up. Right now it’s not good enough for 1500 meters, but I believe it can be better in the 5000 meters.
What makes you more hopeful about the 5000 meters?
Of course, I’m more skeptical now (about the 5000 meters) than I was. I didn’t think I would be this bad now. It might also just have been a bit of a bad day and something very marginal that made it so bad. I’ve trained better than this, so it was a bit surprising.
Was your Achilles sore?
No, it actually felt okay, but that doesn’t help much.