Which running workout plan boosts 5-km speed most? a trial aims to find out
NCT ID NCT07738640
First seen Jul 31, 2026 · Last updated Aug 04, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether two different 8-week endurance training programs—one focused on lactate threshold and another that shifts from pyramidal to polarized intensity—improve 5-km running performance in recreational runners. Sixty runners aged 18-30 will be randomly assigned to one of the two training groups or a control group that continues their usual activity. Before and after the program, researchers will measure 5-km run times, aerobic fitness, lactate threshold, running economy, blood lactate, and brain activity after maximal exercise. The goal is to see if one training style leads to greater performance gains and to understand the physiological and neural changes behind any improvements.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Two 8-week endurance training programs: lactate threshold training and pyramidal-to-polarized endurance training
- What this could lead to
- If one training approach proves superior, it could help runners and coaches choose more effective ways to improve 5-km performance.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study in recreational runners, so results may not apply to all runners or to longer distances. Training effects can vary widely between individuals.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 25 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women aged \[18-30\] years. * Recreational runners with regular running or endurance-training experience for at least \[6 months\]. * Currently completing running training at least \[2-3 times per week\]. * Able to complete a continuous 5-km run. * Willing and able to complete the 8-week training intervention and all study assessments. * Able to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Current cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, neurological, or other medical conditions that may contraindicate maximal exercise or endurance training. * Current musculoskeletal injury or pain that limits running or participation in maximal exercise testing. * History of loss of consciousness, epilepsy, severe head injury, or other neurological conditions that may affect electroencephalographic recordings. * Use of medications or substances known to substantially affect cardiovascular, metabolic, or central nervous system responses to exercise. * Participation in another structured exercise intervention or clinical study during the study period. * Inability or unwillingness to comply with the assigned training program, testing procedures, or study requirements. * Any other condition judged by the investigators to make participation unsafe or to substantially affect the validity of the study outcomes.
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As listed by the trial registrant
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How to take part
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The official record
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