Heart Rate Vs. Race Pace-Based Prescription Training in Recreational Distance Runners

NCT07109089 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: IND/22HUM-23661
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 37
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to compare adherence to training prescription-defined as the percentage of time spent within the prescribed intensity zone-using either a race pace-based method or a heart rate-based method in male and female recreational distance runners. The main research questions are:

• Which training prescription method leads to greater adherence in recreational runners?
• Which method results in more accurate execution of low- and high-intensity interval training sessions? Participants will undergo anthropometric and physiological assessments to determine training zones based on ventilatory thresholds. In addition, a 5-km time trial will be performed on a standard track to establish individual race pace zones.

Conditions

Exercise Response; Physical Fitness; Athletic Performance; Running Endurance

Keywords

Endurance prescription; HIIT; Recreational runners; Excercise monitoring

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Maximal Oxygen Uptake (VO₂max)

  VO₂max (mL·kg-¹·min-¹) measured during an incremental treadmill test to volitional exhaustion. Respiratory gases are collected breath-by-breath using a calibrated metabolic cart. The highest 30-second average of VO₂ is taken as VO₂max.

  Baseline

• Time in Zone - Low-Intensity Training

  Total time (in minutes and % of intended time in zone) spent within the prescribed low-intensity training zone during each session, as determined by either heart rate (below first ventilatory threshold) or race pace (based on individual 5-km performance). Training zones are predefined per method and monitored via GPS watches and heart rate monitors.

  Week 1 and week 2

• Time in Zone - High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

  Total time (in minutes and % of intended time in zone) spent within the prescribed high-intensity training zone during interval sessions, based on either heart rate (above second ventilatory threshold) or race pace (percentage of 5-km race pace). Time in zone is extracted from GPS and HR data post-session

  Week 1 and week 2

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Body weight (kg) and Body Mass Index (BMI kg/m²)

  Baseline

• Ventilatory thresholds

  Baseline

Study Arms (2)

Race Pace Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants follow a training program based on race pace zones, including both low-intensity sessions and high-intensity intervals.

Other: Race Pace-based training

Heart Rate Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants follow a training program based on heart rate zones, including both low-intensity sessions and high-intensity intervals.

Other: Heart Rate-Based Training

Interventions

Race Pace-based training OTHER

Participants complete one week of endurance training based on race pace zones individually determined from a 5-km time trial performance. The program includes both low-intensity continuous runs and high-intensity interval training sessions.

Race Pace Group

Heart Rate-Based Training OTHER

Participants complete one week of endurance training based on heart rate zones individually determined from ventilatory threshold assessments. The program includes both low-intensity continuous runs and high-intensity interval training sessions.

Heart Rate Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• healthy male and female recreational endurance runners
• minimum of four training sessions per week
• at least three of consistent endurance training experience

You may not qualify if:

• current smokers
• diagnosed metabolic disorders
• any cardiovascular, pulmonary, or orthopedic condition that may interfere with exercise performance or safety

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad Rey Juan Carlos: lead

Study Sites (1)

Cam. del Molino, 5, Fuenlabrada, Madrid

Fuenlabrada, Madrid, 28943, Spain

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Ranieri LE, Casado A, Martin D, Trujillo-Colmena D, Gil-Arias A, Kenneally M, Jimenez A. Performance and Physiological Effects of Race Pace-Based Versus Heart Rate Variability-Guided Training Prescription in Runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2025 Jul 1;57(7):1510-1522. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003671. Epub 2025 Feb 12.

  PMID: 39935030 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Arturo Casado, PhD

  Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 7, 2025
• First Posted: August 7, 2025
• Study Start: February 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 30, 2024
• Study Completion: January 30, 2025
• Last Updated: August 7, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

ES (1)