Olle Larsson: What Happens When You Can’t Run? Injury, Identity & Moving Forward

What happens when the thing that defines you is suddenly gone? Olle Larsson always saw himself as a runner—until an injury changed everything. In this episode of What’s up Åre, he opens up about losing his identity as an athlete, navigating recovery, and finding new ways to move forward.

We dive into the mental and physical challenges of reinvention, how he got into gravel biking and the bike community, and what he learned about adapting to life's unexpected turns. Olle also shares insights from his time freelancing in Amsterdam, his love for languages, and how movement—whether running or biking—continues to shape his perspective on life.

Whether you’re an athlete, an outdoor enthusiast, or someone dealing with a major life shift, this episode is packed with inspiration and real talk about overcoming setbacks and rediscovering purpose.

Featured Quotes:

• "If I’m not a runner anymore, then who am I?"

• "Losing running wasn’t just about sport—it was losing a way to process life."

• "The amazing thing about gravel biking is that it takes you to places you’d never go otherwise."

• "At first, I just wanted to ride—but then I found a whole community that made it even better."

  • Olle Larsson

Chapters:

(00:00:00) - Intro & First Impressions

(00:04:15) - Growing Up & Finding Running

(00:13:50) - The Injury That Changed Everything

(00:20:30) - Struggling with Identity After Injury

(00:29:30) - Discovering Gravel Biking & The Social Aspect

(00:38:40) - Freelancing & Life in Amsterdam

(00:46:00) - The Mental Battle of Recovery

(00:56:45) - Balancing Sport, Passion & Social Life

(01:07:40) - Future Plans & New Perspectives

(01:18:15) - Closing Reflections & Takeaways

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Follow Our Guests and Team:

• Olle Larsson: ⁠@olleruns
• Creative Director: Viktor Ohlin ⁠@allinvision.jpg⁠
• Hosts: Val Cook and Tim Boffe ⁠@thenomadsfamily⁠
• Interior Design by ⁠Theolin Interior Design⁠

Watch and Listen: This episode is also available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube Music⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.