The Norwegian Threshold
Workout - The Norwegian Threshold
- 15min @ 9'00''/km
- 20s @ 2'00''/km
- 40s rest
- 20s @ 2'00''/km
- 40s rest
- 20s @ 2'00''/km
- 40s rest
- 20s @ 2'00''/km
- 40s rest
- 10min @ 5'30''/km
- 3min rest
- 10min @ 5'30''/km
- 15min @ 9'00''/km
to import the workout after you install it.
Intro: Ismanon’s VIAJO A OSLO!🤩😳 reveals how elite athletes structure their training differently. We’ll walk through the core concepts so you can try this approach yourself—definitely watch the full video to see it in action.
Key Points:
- The Ingebrigsten brothers prioritize controlling intensity through lactate-threshold work and volume accumulation, departing from the intensity-heavy methods many coaches prescribe.
- Their training week mirrors this strategy: mostly easy-paced runs, with deliberate lactate-threshold or hill sessions that create the stimulus for improvement. This connects to the broader training science explained in Mastering Interval Training.
- The fundamental idea is to make incremental gains session by session, operating at the threshold where lactate begins its sharp rise—but not beyond.
Workout Example:
- Monday: Easy run – 60 min at a comfortable conversational pace.
- Tuesday: Double session – two easy runs (30 min each) with a short 5-min lactate-threshold effort in the middle of one.
- Wednesday: Lactate-threshold series – 2 × 10 min at your 10k race pace (≈ 4% slower than 5k pace) with 3 min easy jog between.
- Thursday: Easy run – 45 min relaxed.
- Friday: Lactate-threshold series – 3 × 8 min at threshold pace, 2 min recovery.
- Saturday: Hill repeats – 6 × 60 s uphill (5–6% grade) at hard effort, jog down for recovery.
- Sunday: Long run – 90 min–2 h at a steady, easy pace on flat terrain.
Tip: Find your lactate-threshold pace using a calculator or recent race result. A 10k time works best, but you can extrapolate from other distances. As your race times improve, you’ll have a clearer window into your actual threshold. For strategies to boost your 5K performance, check out our breakdown of interval-based speed training. Once you know your target pace, the Pacing app can scale the intervals to match your current fitness.
Closing Note: Incorporate this Norwegian training pattern into your own schedule, adapting paces and distances to reflect where you are now. Use the Pacing app to fine-tune as you go. Focus on showing up consistently and embracing those small, compounding improvements.
References
- VIAJO A OSLO!🤩😳 - YouTube (YouTube Video)