BLUE PRINT
TORONTO BLUEPRINT
How I Built My Race Week Around the Norwegian Threshold & Easy Interval Method
Getting to the start line in Toronto wasn’t about one workout, one week, or one breakthrough session — it was the culmination of structure, patience, and refinement.
The blueprint I followed blended the science of Norwegian threshold training with the practicality of the Easy Interval Method, shaped week by week according to how my body responded. It wasn’t static — it evolved. Each micro-adjustment, whether lowering a heart-rate range, shortening a station interval, or inserting additional recovery, was guided by a single question:
What best serves performance on race day?
At its core, this build revolved around consistency — not hero efforts. Every day had a defined purpose: run economy, station strength, or aerobic reinforcement. But no session stood alone.
The EIM runs taught rhythm and restraint.
The heavy station sessions built resilience.
The hybrid days tied it all together.
Over time, the once-separate systems — cardiovascular, muscular, and technical — began to synchronize. That’s when training shifted from preparation to expression.
THE FRAMEWORK
The structure was simple by design. Two Easy Interval Method sessions per week anchored the plan — controlled aerobic work hovering right at the edge of my threshold (140–150 bpm). These sessions weren’t about intensity; they were about efficiency, consistency, and recoverability.
From there, each week layered in:
One race-simulation session
One overweight station day
One lighter activation or mobility session
Daily walking for recovery and circulation
No session existed in isolation. Monday through Wednesday established rhythm and load. Thursday shifted toward recovery with massage and light movement. Friday reintroduced readiness through low-volume, high-specificity work. Saturday became the convergence point — the day everything connected.
ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY
The original vision acted as a compass — but true progress came through course correction.
Early in the build, I noticed cumulative fatigue creeping in after repeated double-threshold exposures. Not the “good” fatigue — but the kind that blunts sharpness and drains edge. Instead of pushing harder, I pivoted smarter, transitioning fully to the Easy Interval Method: short, repeatable, cost-effective exposures that trained the same systems without the toll.
On hybrid days, I also began alternating priorities:
Run priority days: 140–150 bpm
Station priority days: 125–135 bpm (accounting for muscular load)
That adjustment preserved cardiovascular quality without tipping the system into overreach.
Even the footwear evolved through testing — balancing stability against responsiveness between the Ultrafly Trail and Alphafly. Ultimately, confidence under fatigue dictated the final choice. These details may seem small, but layered over months, they become performance-defining.
TAPER & RACE-WEEK EVOLUTION
As Toronto approached, volume tapered while intention sharpened.
The final week followed a simple progression:
Maintain rhythm → Shed fatigue → Sharpen readiness
Key sessions included:
5 × 3 min EIM treadmill intervals (early week)
Short evening echo-bike rides for circulation
A controlled overweight session Monday
1-minute hybrid circuits midweek
Each was a touchpoint, not a test.
Hydration and nutrition became part of the training — not an afterthought. Every day in the lead-up included electrolytes, steady carbohydrate intake, and light, consistent protein. Dinners simplified into carb-dominant meals. Breakfasts mirrored race-morning fueling. Nothing new. Nothing risky. Only familiar and repeatable.
Mobility and massage were strategic tools — not indulgences. One session before travel to reset tension. Another after arrival to open up what the flight had closed down. Walks replaced easy runs, keeping circulation high while preserving freshness.
MINDSET & EXECUTION
By midweek, the physical work was done. The job shifted inward.
Every day became about familiarity — rehearsing calm breathing, smooth transitions, and quiet confidence. Visualization replaced mileage. Logistics were handled in advance so decision-making was removed from race day.
When I arrived in Toronto, there was nothing to solve. Only a process to execute.
That is the essence of this blueprint.
Not chasing perfection.
But building reliability.
Toronto isn’t the finish line. It’s the confirmation point — proof that the process works. A method built on data, shaped by intuition, and carried forward by trust.
Calm is fast.
Precision beats chaos.