Endurance Running PerformanceNCT07738640
Effects of Two Endurance Training Programs on 5-km Running Performance in Recreational Runners
A study testing Lactate Threshold Training and Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training in people with Endurance Running Performance and Exercise Training Adaptation, run by Shuqi Jia.
Trial summary
This study will examine the effects of two 8-week endurance training programs on 5-km running performance in recreational runners. Participants will be randomly assigned to a lactate threshold training group, a pyramidal-to-polarized endurance training group, or a control group that maintains usual physical activity… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 25 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Endurance Running Performance, Exercise Training Adaptation
- What is being tested?
- Lactate Threshold Training and Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Aug 2026to 8 Nov 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 25 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- 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.
Who cannot join
- 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.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Effects of Lactate Threshold Training and Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training on 5-km Running Performance, Physiological Capacity, and Post-exercise Neural Responses in Recreational Runners: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This study will examine the effects of two 8-week endurance training programs on 5-km running performance in recreational runners. Participants will be randomly assigned to a lactate threshold training group, a pyramidal-to-polarized endurance training group, or a control group that maintains usual physical activity without receiving the study training program.
Before and after the intervention, participants will complete assessments of 5-km running performance, aerobic fitness, lactate threshold, running economy, blood lactate responses, and brain activity recorded before and after maximal exercise. The study will compare changes among the three groups and examine whether physiological and post-exercise neural responses are associated with improvements in running performance.
The main purpose is to determine whether the two training programs produce different improvements in 5-km running performance and to better understand the physiological and neural adaptations associated with endurance training in recreational runners.
- Being tested
- Lactate Threshold Training, Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training
- Keywords
- 5-km Running Performance, Endurance Training, Pyramidal Training, Running Economy, Polarized Training, Recreational Runners
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Lactate Threshold TrainingBehavioural
Participants will complete an 8-week individualized endurance training program prescribed primarily around the lactate threshold. Training intensity will be determined from baseline physiological testing. The program will specify the frequency, duration, and intensity of each training session and will be adjusted according to the study protocol.
Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance TrainingBehavioural
Participants will complete an 8-week individualized endurance training program in which the training-intensity distribution progresses from a pyramidal pattern during the initial phase to a polarized pattern during the later phase. Training intensity will be prescribed using individually determined physiological thresholds obtained from baseline testing. The program will include low-, moderate-, and high-intensity running sessions, with the relative distribution of training time across intensity zones adjusted according to the planned periodization. Training frequency, session duration, and intensity will be standardized according to the study protocol and monitored throughout the intervention.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Lactate Threshold Training Group | Experimental | Participants assigned to this group will complete an 8-week endurance training program primarily prescribed around their individually determined lactate threshold intensity. Training intensity will be individualized using baseline physiological testing and adjusted according to the study protocol. Participants will complete the prescribed training sessions throughout the intervention period and will undergo the same pre- and post-intervention assessments as the other study groups. Receives: Behavioral: Lactate Threshold Training |
| Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training Group | Experimental | Participants assigned to this group will complete an 8-week periodized endurance training program in which the training-intensity distribution progresses from a pyramidal pattern during the initial phase to a polarized pattern during the later phase. Exercise intensity will be individualized using baseline physiological testing and adjusted according to the study protocol. Participants will undergo the same pre- and post-intervention assessments as the other study groups. Receives: Behavioral: Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training |
| Usual Activity Control Group | No intervention | Participants assigned to this group will continue their usual physical activity and running habits during the 8-week study period and will not receive either of the structured training programs administered by the research team. Participants will be asked not to begin any new structured endurance training program during the intervention period and will undergo the same pre- and post-intervention assessments as the training groups. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in 5-km Running Performance
5-km running performance will be assessed using a maximal-effort self-paced 5-km run conducted on a standard 400-m outdoor athletics track. Completion time will be recorded in seconds. The primary outcome will be the change in 5-km completion time from baseline to the end of the 8-week intervention. A lower completion time indicates better running performance.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Secondary outcomes (5)
Change in Maximal Oxygen Uptake
Maximal oxygen uptake will be assessed during a graded cardiopulmonary exercise test performed to volitional exhaustion. Oxygen uptake will be measured breath-by-breath and expressed relative to body mass in milliliters per kilogram per minute. The outcome will be the change in maximal oxygen uptake from baseline to the end of the 8-week intervention.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Change in Lactate Threshold
Lactate threshold will be determined during an incremental running test using blood lactate measurements and the prespecified threshold-identification method described in the study protocol. The outcome will be the change in running speed or physiological intensity corresponding to the lactate threshold from baseline to the end of the 8-week intervention.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Change in Running Economy
Running economy will be assessed during steady-state submaximal treadmill running at a standardized speed. Oxygen uptake will be measured during the steady-state period and expressed relative to body mass. The outcome will be the change in oxygen cost of running from baseline to the end of the 8-week intervention. A lower oxygen cost at the same running speed indicates better running economy.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Change in Post-exercise Blood Lactate Concentration
Capillary blood lactate concentration will be measured at prespecified time points before and after maximal exercise. The outcome will include changes in post-exercise blood lactate concentration and lactate recovery from baseline to the end of the 8-week intervention. Blood lactate concentration will be expressed in millimoles per liter.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention, with measurements before exercise and at 5 and 20 minutes after exercise
Change in Post-exercise Electroencephalographic Activity
Resting electroencephalographic activity will be recorded before maximal exercise and during recovery after exercise. Prespecified electroencephalographic outcomes will include relative spectral power in selected frequency bands and cortical regions. The outcome will be the change in post-exercise electroencephalographic responses from baseline to the end of the 8-week intervention.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention, with electroencephalographic recordings before exercise and at 5 and 20 minutes after exercise
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted31 Jul 2026
- Study startAug 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionOct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion8 Nov 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Endurance Running PerformanceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned in parallel to one of three groups: lactate threshold training, pyramidal-to-polarized endurance training, or a control group. Each participant will remain in the assigned group throughout the 8-week intervention period.
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Shuqi Jia
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Shuqi Jia, Shanghai University of Sport
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07738640
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SUS-5KM-RCT-2026
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 28 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 3 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared because the current informed consent and ethics-approved study documents do not include provisions for external sharing of participant-level data. Aggregate results may be reported in publications.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Lactate Threshold Training and Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training on 5-km Running Performance, Physiological Capacity, and Post-exercise Neural Responses in Recreational Runners: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07738640
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SUS-5KM-RCT-2026
- Keywords
- 5-km Running Performance, Endurance Training, Pyramidal Training, Running Economy, Polarized Training, Recreational Runners
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Shuqi JiaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 8 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 31 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will examine the effects of two 8-week endurance training programs on 5-km running performance in recreational runners. Participants will be randomly assigned to a lactate threshold training group, a pyramidal-to-polarized endurance training group, or a control group that maintains usual physical activity without receiving the study training program.
Before and after the intervention, participants will complete assessments of 5-km running performance, aerobic fitness, lactate threshold, running economy, blood lactate responses, and brain activity recorded before and after maximal exercise. The study will compare changes among the three groups and examine whether physiological and post-exercise neural responses are associated with improvements in running performance.
The main purpose is to determine whether the two training programs produce different improvements in 5-km running performance and to better understand the physiological and neural adaptations associated with endurance training in recreational runners.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned in parallel to one of three groups: lactate threshold training, pyramidal-to-polarized endurance training, or a control group. Each participant will remain in the assigned group throughout the 8-week intervention period.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Lactate Threshold Training Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Lactate Threshold TrainingParticipants assigned to this group will complete an 8-week endurance training program primarily prescribed around their individually determined lactate threshold intensity. Training intensity will be individualized using baseline physiological testing and adjusted according to the study protocol. Participants will complete the prescribed training sessions throughout the intervention period and will undergo the same pre- and post-intervention assessments as the other study groups. |
| Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance TrainingParticipants assigned to this group will complete an 8-week periodized endurance training program in which the training-intensity distribution progresses from a pyramidal pattern during the initial phase to a polarized pattern during the later phase. Exercise intensity will be individualized using baseline physiological testing and adjusted according to the study protocol. Participants will undergo the same pre- and post-intervention assessments as the other study groups. |
| Usual Activity Control Group | No intervention | –Participants assigned to this group will continue their usual physical activity and running habits during the 8-week study period and will not receive either of the structured training programs administered by the research team. Participants will be asked not to begin any new structured endurance training program during the intervention period and will undergo the same pre- and post-intervention assessments as the training groups. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- 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.
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- 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.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Lactate Threshold TrainingParticipants will complete an 8-week individualized endurance training program prescribed primarily around the lactate threshold. Training intensity will be determined from baseline physiological testing. The program will specify the frequency, duration, and intensity of each training session and will be adjusted according to the study protocol. | Behavioural | Lactate Threshold Training Group |
| Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance TrainingParticipants will complete an 8-week individualized endurance training program in which the training-intensity distribution progresses from a pyramidal pattern during the initial phase to a polarized pattern during the later phase. Training intensity will be prescribed using individually determined physiological thresholds obtained from baseline testing. The program will include low-, moderate-, and high-intensity running sessions, with the relative distribution of training time across intensity zones adjusted according to the planned periodization. Training frequency, session duration, and intensity will be standardized according to the study protocol and monitored throughout the intervention. | Behavioural | Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training Group |
Primary outcome
Change in 5-km Running Performance
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
5-km running performance will be assessed using a maximal-effort self-paced 5-km run conducted on a standard 400-m outdoor athletics track. Completion time will be recorded in seconds. The primary outcome will be the change in 5-km completion time from baseline to the end of the 8-week intervention. A lower completion time indicates better running performance.
5 secondary outcomes
Change in Maximal Oxygen Uptake
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Change in Lactate Threshold
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Change in Running Economy
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Change in Post-exercise Blood Lactate Concentration
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention, with measurements before exercise and at 5 and 20 minutes after exercise
Change in Post-exercise Electroencephalographic Activity
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention, with electroencephalographic recordings before exercise and at 5 and 20 minutes after exercise
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 3 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared because the current informed consent and ethics-approved study documents do not include provisions for external sharing of participant-level data. Aggregate results may be reported in publications.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Lactate Threshold Training and Pyramidal-to-Polarized Endurance Training in people with Endurance Running Performance and Exercise Training Adaptation, run by Shuqi Jia.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Shuqi Jia (+8613327732991, jsq2221111006@163.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in 5-km Running Performance (time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Aug 2026.