What does it take to win an Olympic gold medal in the 5,000m?
Of course, there’s the genetic lottery, which we mere mortals can only dream of winning, but beyond that, there are years of experience, intense training, and unmatched dedication behind that moment of glory.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s victory in the 5,000m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was the culmination of years of collaboration with his brothers, Henrik and Filip. Together, they refined a training approach that pushed Jakob to the limits of his capabilities.
But what exactly goes into such a high-stakes training regimen? How do they gauge its effectiveness, and what does it really mean to push the human body to its absolute limits?
After his gold-medal run, Ingebrigtsen, in collaboration with COROS, shared insights into his training philosophy and how data from his 5,000m performance helped shape his preparation.
2024 Training Insights
Building the Foundation
Ingebrigtsen started his 2024 training season on the backfoot following an injury he had been dealing with throughout the winter, which prevented him from being consistent in his workouts.
“Middle of February is when I started being consistent and was able to run every day. However, once I was able to train, everything from then on went perfectly,” he shared with COROS.
He began with an 8-week period focused on high volume, keeping intensity in check. His approach to tapering before the Prefontaine Classic was cautious—enough to maintain his recently established base fitness without compromising recovery.
“I wanted to taper lightly, but not enough where I would sacrifice the base that I had just established,” the Norwegian said in a statement released by his watch brand.
Shifting Gears From Volume to Intensity
Once his base was established in early spring, Ingebrigtsen increased both volume and intensity.
“I started seeing very strong success,”Ingebrigtsen said. “I was on the edge of what my body could handle in terms of volume and intensity. We were able to do everything we planned out, but it wasn’t without risk… We pushed our training perfectly.”
As you can see in his heart rate data, his peak training phase saw a mix of low-intensity recovery sessions and high-intensity efforts aimed at pushing his VO2 max. The majority of his training was either in Zone 1, the recovery zone, or Zone 6, pushing VO2 max and beyond.
A Unique Approach to Race Day
Ingebrigtsen’s success is partly due to his trust in the training process, particularly when it matters most. Unlike many athletes who like to test their fitness during peak season, Ingebrigtsen and his team rely on a different philosophy.
“Many athletes want to test their fitness in training during peak seasons. We, however, have a different approach. We think of training as if we are farmers, and what we are harvesting are carrots. Many athletes want to pull the carrot out of the ground early to see what they have made, but in reality, once you test it, you can never put it back in. We won’t pull the carrot out of the ground until race day, but trust that our preparation and experience will give us the best odds of success.” he explained to COROS.
Years of data collection boost this confidence, allowing Jakob and his brothers to monitor training outcomes and make informed adjustments daily.
“We have a lot of experience with collecting data from the same sessions throughout the year. We can compare as we go to ensure I’m consistent, not overtrained, and exactly what the numbers mean for where my fitness is.”
Analyzing the Olympic 5,000m Race
Ingebrigtsen’s failure to medal in the 1,500m only fueled his determination for the 5,000m. However, he knew the 1,500m and the 5,000m were two different beasts and adjusted his race strategy uniquely for each.
“The 1500 is so rapid that you don’t have time to think,” Ingebrigtsen said. “Whereas the 5K you’re struggling, but have more time to be tactical. Regardless if I run the first 4K slow, it still hurts. My lungs and legs are burning, but with the experience I have, I know how to use my energy in the right way.”
Throughout the race, Ingebrigtsen meticulously managed his energy, conserving it when possible and pushing hard at crucial moments.
Race Breakdown: Key Metrics
Start to 1,000 Meters:
- HR before gun: 121 bpm
- Avg HR: 162 bpm
- Max HR: 178 bpm
- Avg Cadence: 185
- Max Cadence: 200
The early pace was slower than expected, allowing him to settle into the race.
“I was expecting a faster race from the gun. I was a little disappointed, but for my positioning in the field I was a little more in front than I would normally be. We went through the first k in 2:49 which is very slow. I knew at this point, for every meter that passed at this pace, nobody was going to get tired…. So it was going to be a ramp-up in pace.“
1,000 to 3,000 Meters:
- Avg HR: 176 bpm
- Max HR: 181 bpm
- Avg Cadence: 188
- Max Cadence: 195
Ingebrigtsen positioned himself near the front, allowing others to dictate the pace while keeping his heart rate in his threshold zone.
“There was a slight increase in pace as we went. The Ethiopians started to settle in the front and we were running 62’s. People were struggling quite a lot at this pace. But I tried to stay up close to ensure if someone went sub 60’s, I was in position to match.“
3,000 to 4,400 Meters:
- Avg HR: 177 bpm
- Max HR: 183 bpm
- Avg Cadence: 192
- Max Cadence: 196
The pace increased, and Jakob’s heart rate surged as he moved up to cover any potential late-race moves.
“I surged to get towards the front and to cover moves. Near 600 meters to go, I was boxed in…If you’re making a move, you’re spending a lot of energy because we are at 60-second laps. As people are passing me at this point, I know they are burning energy that they don’t have at this point, so as I was boxed in, I knew others were hurting.“
Final 600 Meters:
- Avg HR: 179 bpm
- Max HR: 182 bpm
- Avg Cadence: 208
- Max Cadence: 223
With 600 meters to go, Ingebrigtsen made his decisive move.
“Gebrhiwet made his move at 600 to go. I was boxed in at that point… but we are moving fast so I was hopeful it would open up. I had been watching my competitors for the last few laps to know how they were feeling. I tried to get out of the rail, but nobody was able to move out of the way because we were so tired. Eventually I was able to make a move and get to the outside, and I was very cautious to not sprint too fast because I have done this before. If you go too hard with 500 to go, the last 200 is very difficult. So I used a few seconds to catch up to him. On the back straight I could feel he was tiring up, and since I used so much energy to catch him, I just had to keep the same pace as I couldn’t kick again without using too much. I saved just a little bit for the home straight and kicked.”
