Norwegian Double Threshold Method
Methodology 9 of 16
Key Highlights
- •You do two medium-hard runs on the same day.
- •Run at a pace that feels steady but not exhausting.
- •Breaking it into two parts lets you do more work.
- •It builds amazing stamina without making you too tired.
- •This method is usually for athletes who train a lot.
- •The other days of your week must be very slow.
Overview
The Norwegian Method refers to a training system that gained attention due to its use by Norway's elite runners (such as Jakob Ingebrigtsen) and triathletes. Its signature feature is the double threshold workout day – athletes perform two workouts in one day, both targeting lactate threshold intensity. Typically, one threshold session is done in the morning and a second threshold session in the afternoon. These workouts are done at controlled paces corresponding to about lactate threshold (often monitoring lactate around ~3 mmol/L). The rest of the week includes mostly easy training and sometimes one higher-intensity session. The philosophy is to accumulate more volume at threshold while carefully managing fatigue through strict intensity control (often using lactate measurements). This approach was first pioneered by coach/athlete Marius Bakken and further popularized by the success of the Ingebrigtsen brothers and Norwegian triathletes in recent years.
Key Focus
Push an athlete's anaerobic threshold as high as possible by logging a high volume of work at threshold pace, without tipping over into the red zone. By doing two threshold runs in a day (instead of one longer threshold run), the athlete can achieve more total minutes at threshold intensity with lower stress on the body in each session. The overarching goal is to improve the sustainable speed/power (threshold) while maintaining good recovery. Another focus is precise intensity control: training "just below" the hard limit so that the workouts remain aerobic enough to repeat frequently. This method also emphasizes careful monitoring (often with lactate meters or heart rate) to ensure the athlete stays in the threshold zone (for Norwegians, typically ~2.5–4 mM lactate) for optimal effect. In summary, the goal is threshold development and volume – essentially combining aspects of threshold and high-volume training for a potent stimulus.
Best Suited For
Very committed and experienced athletes – typically elites or high-level competitors with excellent base fitness. The average athlete would find double threshold days extremely demanding; it's a methodology born in elite camps. It has been used by world-class 1500m-10,000m runners and Olympic triathletes, and has trickled down to some collegiate and professional training groups. Advanced age-group athletes who have time for two-a-days and have built up durability might experiment with it. It's generally applied in base or early build phases of a season (to raise fitness) rather than right before competition. Not recommended for novices, as the intensity and frequency of workouts could overwhelm someone without years of aerobic development. Athletes who thrive on volume and can handle monotony (many threshold sessions) tend to benefit the most. Also, those with access to measurement tools (lactate testing, or at least reliable heart rate/GPS metrics) can best implement the precise control this method calls for.
Ready to train with Norwegian?
Create a personalized training plan that incorporates this methodology based on your goals, experience level, and available time.
Create Your PlanExplore More Methodologies
Block Periodization
The focus is to concentrate training stress on one adaptation while maintaining others at minimal levels, thereby inducing greater improvement in that area than if all qualities are trained simultaneously. For instance, in an accumulation block an athlete might focus on high-volume low-intensity work to boost aerobic base, then in the next (transmutation) block focus intensely on lactate threshold or anaerobic capacity with many interval sessions. Because each block is short and specific, the body is continuously challenged with a new stimulus every few weeks, helping to avoid stagnation. Block periodization thus aims to combine the advantages of both polarized approaches and pyramidal approaches by sequencing them in time – research suggests a dynamic, phased combination can be very effective.
Fartlek Training
The focus of fartlek is to improve both aerobic endurance and speed endurance by blending intensities in one session. Hard segments (e.g. around 85–90% effort) push the aerobic system and improve the ability to surge, while the easy segments (jog or float recoveries) allow partial recovery and adaptation to changing paces. This trains the body and mind to handle pace fluctuations – useful for tactics like surge-and-recover in races – and can help an athlete finish strong with a fast end spurt. Additionally, the varied nature of fartlek can reduce monotony and improve overall fitness similarly to structured intervals, but with more flexibility.
Galloway Run-Walk Method
Build endurance and minimize fatigue/injury by using walking intervals as a form of active recovery. The goal is to prevent the cumulative fatigue that normally occurs in continuous running, thus allowing the athlete to maintain a stronger pace over the long haul. Walking breaks allow the muscles, joints, and energy systems brief recovery, which reduces muscle damage and "erases" some fatigue so the runner can keep going longer. The approach also aims to lower the stress hormone response (cortisol) and impact forces, thereby lowering injury risk. In essence, the focus is conservation of resources: by never going until complete exhaustion, you preserve your ability to continue and enjoy the endorphins of running without the deep aches of nonstop running. This method also has a psychological goal – breaking a marathon or long run into manageable segments (run a few minutes, then you know a walk is coming) can make the distance mentally easier.
Hansons Marathon Method (Cumulative Fatigue Training)
Develop fatigue resistance and the ability to maintain pace in the later miles of the marathon. The key goal is to adapt the body and mind to running strong even when legs are already fatigued. By spreading out the weekly mileage and not relying on a single massive long run, the Hansons method avoids overemphasizing any one workout. Instead, the entire week’s training load collectively simulates marathon stress. Another focus is consistency and relatively high mileage (for amateurs) – running six days a week builds cumulative endurance. The method also aims to improve specific marathon physiology with weekly tempo runs at goal marathon pace, so an athlete gets very familiar with their target pace. In summary, the Hansons approach focuses on making the marathon “the sum of its parts,” preparing an athlete through cumulative fatigue rather than one huge long run, ultimately to avoid the infamous late-race breakdown.