The aim of the present study was to examine the variability of 1-h running performance outside the laboratory, under conditions simulating those of a real competitive event. Twenty-three male recreational runners performed on 3 occasions a 60-min simulated running race attempting to cover as long distance as possible. The races took place in an indoor track, in order to ensure stable environmental conditions. There was no difference in the distance covered between races (12,546.3 ± 217 m, 12,576 ± 219.1 m, 12,638.7 ± 225.3 m for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd races, respectively (mean ± S(X), F(2, 44) = 1.168, P = 0.32). The coefficient of variation for all participants was 1.5 ± 0.2 (range: 0.2-3.00). Multiple regression analysis indicated that 83% of the variability in best performance was predicted by determining the speed at the peak volume of oxygen uptake and body mass. In conclusion, performance during 1-h simulated running race in an indoor track was highly reproducible. The present study can be used as low-cost, time-efficient and ecologically valid tool, which could test simultaneously numerous runners' performance under conditions similar to real competitive events.
Keywords: predictors of endurance ability; reproducibility; time trials.