I Trained Like Jakob Ingebrigtsen for 24 Hours

Jakob Ingebrigtsen is the greatest miler alive. Olympic champion, world record holder, and the standard that every mid-distance runner in the world measures themselves against. I wanted to know what it actually feels like to train like him for a full day — not the highlight reel version, but the real thing. The experience of having trained like Jakob Ingebrigtsen gave me a whole new perspective.

The Norwegian Method

Jakob and the Ingebrigtsen brothers are famous for their double-threshold approach — two hard sessions a day, most days of the week. It sounds insane, and after trying it, I can confirm it is. The idea is that you run at lactate threshold pace more frequently but at a manageable volume each session. Instead of one brutal workout, you split it into two that are technically “easier” but the cumulative fatigue is something else entirely.

Morning Session

I started the day with a threshold session on the track. The pace was not all-out, but it was fast enough that I could feel my body working from the first rep. This is the key to the Norwegian method — you are never comfortable, but you are never redlining either. It is that middle zone where your body is learning to process lactate efficiently. After the session, I did my standard cool-down, got treatment, and tried to recover as much as possible before the afternoon.

Between Sessions

Recovery between the two sessions is where the discipline comes in. Jakob reportedly naps, eats clean, and stays off his feet. I tried to replicate that — ate a solid meal, elevated my legs, and rested. But at LSU, I also have classes, content to create, and a life to manage. That is the part about being a professional that people do not appreciate enough: your entire day revolves around recovering for the next session.

Afternoon Session

The second threshold session of the day was where things got real. My legs were already tired from the morning, and now I was asking them to lock back into that same pace. This is where I gained massive respect for what Jakob does every week. The physical ability is one thing, but the mental discipline to show up twice a day and execute at that level consistently is what separates him from everyone else.

What I Learned

Training like Jakob for a day taught me more about my own limits than most of my regular training weeks. The Norwegian method works because it forces your body to adapt to sustained threshold running, but it requires a lifestyle built entirely around recovery. For a college athlete balancing school, content, and training, the full version is not sustainable. But the principles — more frequency, controlled intensity, prioritizing recovery — are things I have started incorporating into my own program. Watch the full video to see exactly how the day went, including both workouts, my nutrition, and the honest aftermath.

Watch the Full Video

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For more training challenges, see when I let AI control my running.