From NSM to VO2 max: trying to break a 3-year plateau
Over the past few years I’ve mostly followed a “Norwegian single threshold” approach — typically three sub-threshold sessions per week, combined with a lot of very easy running in between, and relatively little time spent at very high intensity.
It worked initially, but I’ve basically plateaued. I’ve been stuck around ~38 minutes for 10K for the last 3 years without any real progress despite consistent training. That’s made me step back and rethink my approach, and start looking for alternative ways to improve.
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve experimented with a different structure:
– 2 VO2 max sessions per week
– 1 threshold session
– Less easy mileage
The VO2 max work has mainly been:
– 5×5 min uphill (10% incline on treadmill)
– 30×(45s hard / 15s rest) on treadmill
This is obviously a big shift toward higher intensity, and I’m already starting to see noticeable improvements in performance. That said, I don’t see this as a long-term approach. Rather, it seems like these kinds of VO2 max-focused blocks might be necessary at times to raise the ceiling, before transitioning back to more threshold-focused training to build on that.
My current thinking:
If your aerobic “ceiling” (VO2 max) isn’t high enough, more threshold work won’t necessarily move the needle. I’m hitting threshold at ~90% of max HR — which is on the higher end of what’s typically reported — suggesting that my fractional utilization is already quite high. That makes me think VO2 max itself is the limiting factor. For runners with a similar profile, prioritizing VO2 max work for a period might be a more effective approach than simply adding more threshold volume.
Curious what others think.
12.05: Update with some additional information:
At the start of 2023 I switched to a more NSM-style setup, where I was doing 3 sub-threshold sessions per week plus a long run of around 18–20 km. Before that, my training was less structured and included more traditional “hard” interval work.
2023 ended up being my best year. I averaged around 70 km per week, ran a low 1:25 half marathon, and set my current 10K PB of 37:49.
Since then I’ve continued training largely within the same NSM-style training, while gradually increasing volume—around 80 km/week in 2024 and 85–90 km/week in 2025. (I’ve also tried running 100–110 km weeks, but I tend to feel pretty terrible when I do, and my interval paces at the same lactate level actually get worse.)
Despite this, my best performances are still from 2023. Since then I’ve run a lot of races in the low 38s for 10K and high 1:25s for the half, but I’ve struggled to move beyond that level despite putting in consistent work.
I’m in my "prime", 29 years old, so I feel like I should still be improving, not plateauing, which is part of why I’m questioning things a bit more now.