An Inside Look At How Double Threshold Training Turned Andreas Almgren Into One Of The Greatest Runners In The World (12:44 5k) + Lessons From Doing Workouts With Jakob Ingebrigtsen

Jul 3, 2025

Andreas Almgren, a Swedish distance runner with impressive records, shares his extraordinary journey from injury to elite athlete. He delves into his transformative training methods, particularly double threshold training, which shifted his approach and enhanced his performance. Listeners will learn about his rigorous weekly running schedule, dietary habits, and even the insights gained from training alongside Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Almgren's story is a compelling blueprint of resilience in pursuing running excellence.

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ADVICE

Periodize Thresholds Around Racing

Plan double-threshold volume in base then taper threshold work into race-specific sessions during competition.
Rebuild aerobic base after races to prepare for major championships.

ANECDOTE

One-Off 3k Sim To Prime For Stockholm

Almgren once ran a simulated race session starting with a 3k at 74 seconds per lap to prepare for Stockholm.
He warns that session was special and unnecessary for most athletes.

ADVICE

Train Specific Reps But Stay Controlled

Do specific repeat work near race pace for your target distance while keeping efforts controlled and with a gear left.
Use repeats from 600m to 1km for 5k prep and longer intervals for half marathons.

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Andreas Almgren went from nearly quitting the sport to redefining European distance running.

The Swedish phenom’s career began with a 1:45.59 in the 800m before a cascade of devastating injuries nearly ended it all. We’re talking stress fractures, torn muscles, and years of physical setbacks that forced Andreas to rethink everything, from his training philosophy to his identity as an athlete.

What followed is one of the most remarkable reinventions in modern track history.

Andreas had to endure a mental and physical shift that included trading middle-distance intervals for long runs, double-thresholds, and five-hour bike weeks. The countless hours of work transformed him into a record-breaking force.

His stats say it all: 3:32.00 in the 1500m (Swedish Record); 12:44.27 in the 5,000m (European Record); 26:52 in the 10,000m (Swedish Record); 26:53 in the road 10,000m (European Record); and 59:23 in the half marathon (becoming the first Swede under 60 min).

Whether you're coming back from injury, building toward your breakthrough, or just chasing the edge of performance, this man showed one example of a blueprint for resilience, reinvention, and world-class excellence.

Andreas went from shattered bones to shattering records.

In today's conversation, Andreas takes me deep into his training, the double threshold method, how much he runs per week, what he eats, how slow his easy days are, and even lessons from training with Jakob Ingebrigtsen. We also dive into his recent race performances and his goals for the World Championships.

Tap into the Andreas Almgren Special.

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