Ep. 152 - Double Threshold, Altitude, & the Journey to a 13:53 5K & 28:48 10K | A Deep Dive with Duke's Will Purnell

Will Purnell is back on the podcast today, and a lot has happened since we last talked.

If you don’t know Will, he’s a Seattle Prep alum who just wrapped up four years of collegiate running at Boston College. This fall, he’s heading into his fifth and final year at Duke to close out his NCAA career.

When we last caught up in spring 2024, Will was just starting to bounce back from a season-ending injury the previous fall. He managed to run 14:25 for 5K outdoors. Solid, but he knew there was more in the tank.

Fast forward to now, and Will’s been on an absolute tear.

He and teammate Theodor Schucht became the first athletes in BC Track & Field history (men’s or women’s) to break 14 minutes in the 5,000m. Theodor ran 13:46.71 for the school record, and Will followed with 13:53.08, now #2 all-time. He also ran 28:48 for 10K at Raleigh Relays. Quietly, one of the best distance seasons in program history.

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

In this episode, Will and I dig into what it actually took to get there—mentally, physically, and emotionally. We talk about the setbacks that forced him to grow, how he rethought his approach to training, and what he learned about patience, consistency, and trusting the process. We also get into the nuts and bolts of modern training, like the double threshold system and altitude training, and how it’s helped him get to the next level.

If you’re chasing your own breakthrough, coming back from injury, or just looking to train with more purpose, there’s a lot to take away from this conversation.

I promise that you will find value from this episode.

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Here’s to growth, comebacks, and making this summer count!