Norwegian Running Guru: Jakob Ingebrigtsen Has Yet to Run His Best Races

Despite recent injury setbacks, Norwegian running guru Marius Bakken is confident that Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen has yet to achieve his best performances. Bakken, a former elite runner and now a doctor and author, believes the 23-year-old's career is far from over.

Bakken's optimism stems from Ingebrigtsen's impressive return to form, including his recent gold medal win at the European Championships in the 5000 meters. He also highlighted Ingebrigtsen's indoor world record in the mile set just 18 months ago, a performance he considers close to the current outdoor world record. Bakken suggests that the surgery Ingebrigtsen underwent for his Achilles tendon has likely solved the persistent problems.

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I think he has not yet done his best runs.

While some international experts have expressed concern that the world may have already seen the peak of the Norwegian phenomenon, Bakken disagrees. He argues that Ingebrigtsen's past achievements demonstrate a strong aerobic foundation that can be rebuilt upon, especially now that he appears to be injury-free. Bakken's perspective is informed by his own experience as a top long-distance runner and his expertise in training methodologies.

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It looks like the operation has solved the problem Jakob Ingebrigtsen had. It is likely that he will return to the level he was at just a year and a half ago.