He’s been training like a pro since the age of 8. I’d say if he started in a typical middle or high school program he’d be running around 3:40 for the 1500m. That’s still takes a lot of talent but is certainly not the 3:28 mold he’s become.
He’s been training like a pro since the age of 8. I’d say if he started in a typical middle or high school program he’d be running around 3:40 for the 1500m. That’s still takes a lot of talent but is certainly not the 3:28 mold he’s become.
I think the “8” figure is a bit of an embellishment he’s added over time. It’s clear from various sources he really started training like a pro at 11 or 12. It’s still really wary compared to most tho.
To your question: I honestly think his early years were significant. Building his aerobic engine as the base to stack more years of intense training and snowball from there is a huge benefit. I think he’d still be a low 3:30s guy, but not the world beater he is.
But I think his biggest advantage (other than his genes) wasn’t “training like a pro from an early age” but from being in a family where there was a boatload of support for that. Fast brothers who wanted him to succeed and ran with him. Coach in house he had constant access to. Non-runners in family who supported the endeavor. Decent treadmill/weight setup in the basement. Perfect pond loop nearby to run threshold repeats around, which is right next to a great indoor track facility, which is right next to an outdoor track. Parents with the resources and willingness to have him miss school for training camps. It was perfectly set up for him to not get bored with it: seeing brothers win major medals and be successful pros and not having to travel far to get to training groups or resources. plus it seems like every preteen/teen wants to be famous and he already had a reality show about running from that early age.
So I don’t think it was the early training that was unique for him, but everything around him that KEPT HIM TRAINING and not opting out.
He’s been training like a pro since the age of 8. I’d say if he started in a typical middle or high school program he’d be running around 3:40 for the 1500m. That’s still takes a lot of talent but is certainly not the 3:28 mold he’s become.
Every bit as fast. Your prediction of him running 3:40 is funny.
He’s been training like a pro since the age of 8. I’d say if he started in a typical middle or high school program he’d be running around 3:40 for the 1500m. That’s still takes a lot of talent but is certainly not the 3:28 mold he’s become.
For the study of the effects from starting to train like a pro at age 11, N=1. If it makes a 12 second difference, the other guys that have run 3:28 would be sub-3:20 had they been adopted by the Ingebrigtsens.
You are correct. People think that a lifetime of training makes a huge difference. They don't understand talent. Jakob would be at the same level if he had grown up in the US. He would have run about 3:55 for the mile in high school and then made huge improvements through college.
You are correct. People think that a lifetime of training makes a huge difference. They don't understand talent. Jakob would be at the same level if he had grown up in the US. He would have run about 3:55 for the mile in high school and then made huge improvements through college.
You're putting a whole lot of faith into the US high school and college system.
I think he would have been 3:30s, but I wonder if he’ll peak at 24 compared to 28-29. You have to run more mileage in workouts to improve at his level, but how much can he do before he’ll get hurt?
I think he would have been 3:30s, but I wonder if he’ll peak at 24 compared to 28-29. You have to run more mileage in workouts to improve at his level, but how much can he do before he’ll get hurt?
A LOT I'd think. as long as hes getting enough nutrients, sleep and protein. If I had to guess, he would get injured do to a mental shift where he pushes himself to hard in training. However, it's interesting to think that we've never seen someone quite like him. I tend to think his approach is very sustainable because they control intensity so carefully.
He's already been through injury in the winter of 2019-2020? I believe, so it shows he can deal with it.
I think he would have been 3:30s, but I wonder if he’ll peak at 24 compared to 28-29. You have to run more mileage in workouts to improve at his level, but how much can he do before he’ll get hurt?
A LOT I'd think. as long as hes getting enough nutrients, sleep and protein. If I had to guess, he would get injured do to a mental shift where he pushes himself to hard in training. However, it's interesting to think that we've never seen someone quite like him. I tend to think his approach is very sustainable because they control intensity so carefully.
He's already been through injury in the winter of 2019-2020? I believe, so it shows he can deal with it.
I agree. I think, despite the early start in life with training, their approach to training is uniquely situated for sustained long term gains with minimal injury risk due to the tightly controlled, low intensity training for the vast majority of the year. One could potentially point to the last year or so as a period of plateauing but I think it’s more a sign of the prioritization of racing/championships over fast times (and he still got the indoor world record despite that).
He’s been training like a pro since the age of 8. I’d say if he started in a typical middle or high school program he’d be running around 3:40 for the 1500m. That’s still takes a lot of talent but is certainly not the 3:28 mold he’s become.
He would never start in a "middle or high school program" as he is Norwegian and we don't have that here. But no way that every joe who started running like that and now run sub 3:40 for the 1500 is more talented than Jakob. He would be as good as his brothers, or better. 3:30 Filip and 3:31.46 Henrik. Somewhere around that.