Ten lessons from Jakob Ingebrigtsen, one of the world’s most beguiling athletes

Jakob Ingebrigtsen loves running on his treadmill at home – ‘I put it on a certain speed, at a certain incline, and it’s always the same.’ Photograph: Marie von Krogh/The Guardian

On a snowy Norwegian morning in January, Jakob Ingebrigtsen was on his treadmill, shooting the breeze about his running philosophy before our more formal interview. I should write something on this, I told him. Sure, came the reply.

In recent weeks, the 26‑year‑old has added to his legacy with a European 5,000m gold, the World Ultimate 5,000m title and a world road silver medal despite achilles surgery in February and a flu that lingered through May and June. So now seems as good a time as any.