Norway’s Therese Johaug made news today on the running track, clocking a speedy 10 k in 31:40.69. Johaug’s run was part of a made-for-TV sport event in a time of limited international travel and social distancing.
Called the “Impossible Games”, the format pitted some of Norway’s best track and field athletes against those from Kenya in a virtual competition.
Best known by cross-country ski fans for dominating the distance races on the World Cup, Johaug is also known to scorch as a runner. Last year she made headlines after winning the Norwegian 10,000 m national championships in 32:20.86.
Then, she missed the World Championship standard of 31:50.00 by thirty seconds. Johaug ran that race in Hokas, not spiked track shoes.
She ran the race on Thursday in racing flats. The 25 lap run was completed solo amidst a near-empty stadium.
You can view her 2019 10,000 m Norwegian National Championship run below. According to NBC, they are broadcasting the Impossible Games on their sports networks.
Jason Albert
Jason lives in Bend, Ore., and can often be seen chasing his two boys around town. He’s a self-proclaimed audio geek. That all started back in the early 1990s when he convinced a naive public radio editor he should report a story from Alaska’s, Ruth Gorge. Now, Jason’s common companion is his field-recording gear.
