Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the reliability of a 5-km time-trial during a competitive outdoor
running event. Fifteen endurance runners (age = 29.5 ± 4.3 years, height = 1.75 ± 0.08 m, body
mass = 71.0 ± 7.1 kg, 5-km lifetime personal best = 19:13 ± 1:13 minutes) completed two competitive
5-km time-trials over 2 weeks. No systematic differences in run time between Trial 1 and Trial 2 were
reported (Trial 1: 1,217 ± 85 sec, 95% CI [1,170, 1,264]; and Trial 2: 1,216 ± 79 sec, [1,172 to 1,260],
p = .855). Absolute reliability, expressed as the typical error (TE; 14.7 sec, 95% CI = 11.3–21.4 sec) and
coefficient of variation (CV; 0.95 ± 0.65%, [0.59–1.31]) confirms the reliability of 5-km running
performance in a competitive time trial.