Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Karsten Warholm, and a wave of Norwegian distance runners have shattered world records in recent years. Their training system — sometimes called the "Norwegian Method" — centers on a concept that initially seems counterintuitive: two threshold sessions in one day.
What Is the Norwegian Method?
The approach, developed primarily by coach Marius Bakken and refined by coaches at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH), replaces the traditional single hard session with two moderate-intensity sessions separated by several hours. Instead of one 40-minute threshold run at 85-90% of max heart rate, athletes might do two 25-minute sessions at the same intensity, one in the morning and one in the evening.
The total time at threshold intensity is similar or even slightly higher than a traditional approach, but the perceived effort of each individual session is substantially lower.
The Science Behind It
Seiler et al. (2013), from the University of Agder, published research in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports demonstrating that lactate threshold — the most trainable determinant of endurance performance — responds to accumulated time at threshold intensity, not necessarily the length of individual bouts.
Casado et al. (2023), in a comprehensive analysis published in Sports Medicine - Open, documented the training characteristics of world-class middle- and long-distance runners. Norwegian athletes consistently logged more total weekly time at threshold intensity than their counterparts — not through longer individual sessions, but through higher frequency of moderate-duration threshold work.
The key physiological mechanism: lactate clearance capacity. By performing threshold work twice daily, athletes repeatedly practice the metabolic process of producing and clearing lactate. Thomas et al. (2005), in the Journal of Applied Physiology, showed that lactate transport proteins (MCT1 and MCT4) in muscle tissue increase with repeated exposure to threshold-level lactate concentrations. More frequent exposure means more adaptation.
Key Principles
- Lactate-guided intensity: Norwegian athletes train by blood lactate, not pace or heart rate alone. Threshold sessions target a specific lactate concentration (typically 2-4 mmol/L), and pace adjusts to maintain that level.
- Double sessions replace single hard sessions: Instead of Monday hard / Tuesday easy, it might be Monday AM threshold / Monday PM threshold / Tuesday full rest or very easy.
- Low perceived effort per session: Each individual session feels manageable. Athletes finish feeling "I could do more." This reduces psychological burnout and injury risk.
- High weekly threshold volume: The total time at threshold across a week is high — potentially 60-90 minutes — but distributed across 4-6 sessions rather than 2-3.
Adapting for Recreational Runners
The full Norwegian method requires the lifestyle of a professional athlete — two training sessions per day, extensive recovery support, and regular lactate testing. However, recreational runners can borrow key principles:
- Split a long threshold session: Instead of 6x5min at threshold in one session, do 3x5min in the morning and 3x5min in the evening.
- Run threshold by feel: "Comfortably hard" — you can speak in short phrases but not sentences. This approximates 2-3 mmol/L lactate.
- Prioritize consistency over intensity: Two 25-minute threshold runs you complete well beat one 40-minute session where you fade in the final reps.
- Easy days truly easy: The Norwegian method only works if non-threshold days are genuinely easy — otherwise cumulative fatigue undermines the quality of threshold sessions.
Caution
This approach is best suited for experienced runners (2+ years of consistent training, running 5+ days per week) who have hit a plateau with traditional programming. For beginners, simply increasing total weekly mileage with an 80/20 intensity distribution will produce far greater returns than implementing double threshold sessions.
Key Takeaway
References
- Seiler, S. et al. (2013). Adaptations to aerobic interval training. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 23(1), 74-83.
- Casado, A. et al. (2023). Training characteristics of world-class distance runners. Sports Medicine - Open, 9(1), 19.
- Thomas, C. et al. (2005). Monocarboxylate transporters, blood lactate removal after supramaximal exercise, and fatigue indexes in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology, 98(3), 804-809.
- Tjelta, L.I. (2016). The training of international level distance runners. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 11(1), 122-134.