The Norwegian Method

The short answer: strict control and direct measurement of blood lactate accumulation during lactate threshold (LT) workout sessions. This level of control allows for two-a-day threshold sessions which seem to produce the best benefit to LT development[1][3]. (In this article, “LT” refers to the second lactate turn point, also termed “Anaerobic Threshold”.)

That is a mouthful, so let’s get into some more explanation and detail below. Before doing so, we should recognize that there are other parts of the Norwegian method, such as high volumes of low intensity base training, and relatively small amounts of VO2max work and LT work relative to the aerobic work, with changes to this distribution depending on the training and competition cycle[1][4]. However these aspects are common to other training models not labelled as “The Norwegian Method” so we focus here on the lactate control as it is the most distinctive part of the methodology.

Training Zones and Control of Lactate Accumulation

A foundation of many, if not all, endurance training zone models is the accumulation of blood lactate as running intensity increases [2].  Intensity can be measured by pace, heart rate, or power.  When running at or above LT intensity, your effort will be sustainable for only minutes, or seconds, not hours.  Below LT intensity, your effort can be sustainable for extended periods of time (think marathon, half-marathon, 10k, …) especially if you are fueling and hydrating appropriately. The transition between a lactate level that is sustainable, vs. one that is unsustainable, is the Lactate Threshold.  

So although we have a big interest in defining our LT intensity, and controlling workouts to be under or over LT by specific amounts, most of our methods for controlling this intensity are proxies for actual lactate accumulation in the blood. We instead do test effort workouts, or race 5ks and 10ks, or run tough 20 - 60 minute “lactate threshold workouts”. From these workouts you and your coach obtain pace, power and/or heart rate information that is a good approximation of your lactate response. All of these approximation methods boil down to “if you can hold intensity X for Y minutes, your LT is Z minutes/mile (or bpm, or Watts)”.

The Norwegian Method

Even though these LT estimates are good, the gold standard for knowing lactate accumulation in a workout is to actually measure blood lactate during the workout. This involves taking small blood samples (say at the earlobe) and using a lactate monitor. This is a small handheld device similar to a glucose monitor. These samples are be taken many times during a single workout session.

For most of us, blood draws during workouts is impractical if not undesirable. But this is a key implementation point of the Norwegian method: the athletes’ blood lactate is monitored in just this way, which eliminates proxies like pace / power / heart rate, and measures lactate directly. These measurements, paired with research established boundaries for the initial rise in lactate above resting levels, and the point at which lactate accumulation is really taking off (LT), informs the runner where they truly are with respect to LT, and then they can control intensity as they need to.

This is the second key point of the Norwegian method: controlling intensity such that a lactate response is observed, but not beyond LT. This stimulates LT adaptation, but also keeps recovery needs at reasonable levels, and enables the two-a-day sessions which maximize the time to gain LT adaptations.[1][3]

Even if blood sampling during workouts is not your thing, your coach has time tested methods to estimate your LT. That, along with the foundation principles of building a large aerobic base, and judicious use of LT and speed work, can help you get a lot of the same benefits as the Norwegians!

[1] http://www.mariusbakken.com/the-norwegian-model.html
[2] https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/3782
[3] https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/28959/EndeligxversjonxPDF.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
[4] https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/trail-tips-training/an-overview-of-the-norwegian-approach-to-running-training/