RUNNING TRAINING: Long threshold intervals – Improve your aerobic threshold

by Maja Eriksson • 09.07.2026
training
Looking to enhance your aerobic threshold? This workout could be just what you need.

Looking to enhance your aerobic threshold? This workout could be just what you need.

Threshold training is one of the most effective tools for becoming a faster and more enduring skier. By running at the right intensity, challenging yet manageable, you teach your body to work efficiently right at the limit of what is sustainable over time.

It should feel tough but steady, and you should be able to maintain the same pace throughout the interval. Note that it is crucial to stay below the threshold. Once you cross that line and start producing lactic acid, the purpose of the workout is lost. Perform the session in the terrain available to you that day.

Also Read – ROLLER SKI TRAINING: VO2max intervals

Session facts

TypeThreshold workout
Duration70-120 minutes
IntensityMedium
TerrainFlat or hilly
StructureWarm-up / Main session / Cooldown

Training effects

The aerobic threshold is the intensity at which the body begins to produce more lactic acid than it can clear. By staying right at this limit during longer intervals, you train your body to work efficiently at high speeds without accumulating lactic acid. This enhances your ability to maintain a high pace over extended periods, which is crucial in cross-country skiing.

Workout structure

Warm-up — 15 min

  • 15 minutes of jogging
  • Include running drills in the warm-up

Intervals — 40-90 min

  • Depending on your level, aim for 45-90 minutes of threshold work in 5000-meter intervals
  • The focus is to stay just below the lactate threshold and maintain the same pace across all intervals
  • Intervals can be performed in varied terrain or on a track

Cooldown — 10 min

  • Jog or walk for 10 minutes to flush out the body

Read More – RUNNING TRAINING: Easy and Long – the key to strong base conditioning

Are you interested in training for Ski Classics, long-distance, traditional cross-country skiing, and biathlon? Click HERE and read more about it.

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