01
The Norwegian Model
The original long-form article on lactate threshold training, the structure behind the model, and the training logic that later became widely associated with the Norwegian Method.
Book + Articles
The Norwegian Method Applied
This site brings together the core articles, older archive material, and the broader framework behind threshold training, double threshold, intensity control, and more durable running. The new book The Norwegian Method Applied draws those ideas together in one place.
Norwegian Book
Løping! Raskere og skadefri for alle nivåer
Read about and order the original Norwegian book here.
See the Norwegian edition
The Book
A label is not a method.
The framework behind this book was developed through years of experimentation, practical training, and lactate-guided work long before the term Norwegian Method became a global label. The core idea is simple, but demanding: intensity must be precise enough to be tolerated and repeated.
You do not improve by training as hard as possible. You improve by training hard enough, often enough, for long enough.
This is not just a book of workouts. It explains why threshold sits at the center, how intensity control makes more quality possible, and how to adapt the method from 5K and 10K to the half marathon and marathon.
- Why threshold is the hub of the system
- How to find and use your own threshold range
- How double threshold works when it is done correctly
- How 45/15 micro-intervals fit into the larger framework
- How to balance load, recovery, injury prevention, and long-term progression
- How to think about durability, continuity, and the state of the muscular system
Browse the book
Sample pages
Click open fullscreen for the full and clear preview of the book.
Core Articles
Start here
These are the best places to begin if you want background, context, and a clearer sense of the ideas behind the book.
02
The Norwegian Model Revisited
A later article that sharpens the background, clarifies the wider discussion, and helps readers separate the original framework from the broader trend that followed.
03
Kenyan Training: A Practical Guide
An older foundational text that adds historical depth and practical observation from well before the current label became popular.
Archive
Earlier writing and training notes
The older blog archive covers the years from 2000 to 2006 and gives a longer historical trail through training, racing, and development.
About Marius
Marius Bakken
Physician, former elite runner, and writer on threshold training, durability, and long-term endurance development.
Marius Bakken is a physician in Kristiansand, Norway, and a former elite runner. He competed in two Olympics, reached the World Championship final twice, and set Norwegian records at 2,000, 3,000, and 5,000 meters, including 13:06.49 for 5,000 meters.
Through decades of experimentation and more than 5,500 lactate tests, Marius Bakken, a practicing physician and former 13:06 5,000-meter runner, shaped, structured, and refined his training framework.
This site brings together the new English book, the key free articles, the older archive, and the broader body of work around threshold training and durable running.
Also available
The Norwegian edition and further reading
For Norwegian readers, the original edition is also available, along with older archive material across the site.
Løping! Raskere og skadefri for alle nivåer
The Norwegian edition is available here for readers who want that version.
See the Norwegian BookFurther reading
You can also explore the older archive and background material across the site.
Browse the ArchiveExplore
Book, articles, and archive
You can begin with the book, read the core articles first, or browse older material from the archive.