The Effects of an 8-Week Moderate-Intensity Continuous Running Program on Selected Performance Parameters in National-Level Cross-Country Athletes

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week moderate-intensity continuous running program on key performance parameters in national-level cross-country athletes. The research focused on determining how such training influences endurance capacity, speed, agility, explosive power, and flexibility—components that play a critical role in the complex physiological and mechanical demands of cross-country running. Method: A total of 30 national-level cross-country athletes participated in this study. A single-group pre-test/post-test design was used. Athletes completed an 8-week moderate-intensity continuous running program in addition to their regular training. Performance assessments included Wingate anaerobic power, 30 m sprint, Illinois agility test, 20 m shuttle run, standing long jump, and sit-and-reach flexibility tests. Pre- and post-training values were compared using paired samples t-tests and Cohen’s d effect sizes. Results: Significant improvements were observed across all performance parameters following the 8-week training program (p < 0.001). Athletes demonstrated increases in anaerobic power, aerobic endurance, explosive strength, and flexibility, accompanied by decreases in sprint and agility times. All variables showed very large effect sizes, indicating strong physiological and neuromuscular adaptations in response to moderate-intensity continuous loads. Conclusion: The findings indicate that moderate-intensity continuous running is an effective and sustainable training method for enhancing multidimensional performance in national-level cross-country athletes. The program produced robust improvements even in high-performance individuals, highlighting the importance of including well-planned moderate-intensity endurance sessions in training models..