Emelie Bärgman

Job/location: Physician. Physical therapist

Age: 45

Instagram: emboli78 (used sparingly)

How did you start running?

Began with running in the form of orienteering in his youth and has subsequently been active on and off throughout his life. In accordance with this both "pulled to the woods" and adopted long stretches of asphalt and everything in between.

Throughout my running career, I have participated in everything from 10 km races, half and full marathons, but in the last four years I have fully focused on enjoyment in the activity itself rather than goal control. Which is a blessing to have the ability to know.

Do you have a special ritual before a race?

No races in the planning at the moment, but before my regular running rounds of varied terrain, intensity and length, I like to warm up with exercises with Postural Training in accordance with the Optimum Method. This is to release any stiffness in muscles and then "switch on" the primary posture muscles and find the strength from within. Which feels amazing! AND with a pair of shoes with a wide toe box where you can be relaxed in your steps and ground contact and instead work with the posture muscles around the pelvis in the forward drive, running has reached a completely different dimension, in terms of experience. Recommended.

What are your best recovery tips after a race?

Taking a short meditative recovery round and a dip in the sea is hard to beat. 

On the days you don't feel like working out, what motivates you to do it anyway?

What motivates is the very feeling of flow in the step, so when I don't feel like working out, a pair of nice and stylish shoes and some stimulating music in my ears helps. Then it usually just goes off speed.

Which shoe from Topo is your favorite and why?

For me, Specter and Cyclone work like a glove. Now looked at the new Atmos and hope they come in my size so I can try.

Preferably in an inspiring color!

And in addition to using Topo during running, they are also widely used as work shoes, when you are often "on the run" there as well.