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Sports
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Endurance Sports Performance: Training, Recovery and Injury-Prevention Strategies
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Endurance Sports Performance: Training, Recovery and Injury-Prevention Strategies

A special issue of Sports (ISSN 2075-4663).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 9982

Editors

Dr. Roberto Cejuela Anta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
Interests: endurance sports; endurance training; triathlon; elite athletes; testing; lactate; exercise physiology; endurance performance; cycling; swimming; training load
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sergio Selles-Perez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
Interests: endurance sports; endurance training; concurrent training; triathlon; training intensity distribution; training periodization; injury prevention
Dr. Jonathan Esteve-Lanao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
All in Your Mind Training System, Mérida, Yucatán 97134, Mexico
Interests: endurance sports; endurance training; training intensity distribution; athletics; running; training periodization; recreational athletes; training load

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Endurance sports have increased in popularity in recent decades. As a result, the scientific community has shown great interest in the training methods and techniques that are most appropriate for increasing performance in these sports, as well as in establishing appropriate recovery and injury-prevention strategies that allow both elite and recreational athletes to accumulate more training load and obtain greater adaptations to training. This Special Issue, therefore, has the key objective of promoting the publication of scientific works with a highly practical component that are useful and relevant for endurance sport coaches to increase their training quality. Therefore, authors are encouraged to present new lines of research and proposals related to training methods, training periodization, the quantification of training load, and the distribution of training intensity in endurance sports. On the other hand, this Special Issue also seeks to become a forum for the discussion of recovery methods and injury-prevention strategies used in endurance sports. For all of these reasons, we invite authors to submit original research papers on or specific reviews of performance in endurance sports, in both elite and recreational athletes. Research with a highly practical component and that shows a close relationship between scientific evidence and field work will be highly valued.

Dr. Roberto Cejuela Anta
Dr. Sergio Selles-Perez
Dr. Jonathan Esteve-Lanao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sports is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • endurance sports
  • training periodization
  • endurance training
  • injury prevention
  • sports physiology
  • training intensity distribution
  • training methods
  • testing
  • endurance performance
  • training load

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1259 KB  
Article
Common Injuries Across Baseline, 6-Month, and 12-Month Assessments in CrossFit® Athletes of Different Experience Levels
by Luiz Paulo Milares and Ricardo Luís Fernandes Guerra
Sports 2026, 14(5), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports14050205 - 18 May 2026
Viewed by 649
Abstract
Crossfit® is a high-intensity interval training modality that combines weightlifting, aerobic exercises, and gymnastics. Although it has gained widespread popularity, it also presents a considerable injury rate without clarity on the extent to which experience categories exhibit distinct temporal patterns. This study [...] Read more.
Crossfit® is a high-intensity interval training modality that combines weightlifting, aerobic exercises, and gymnastics. Although it has gained widespread popularity, it also presents a considerable injury rate without clarity on the extent to which experience categories exhibit distinct temporal patterns. This study identifies the most common injuries and their progression across CrossFit® categories over 12 months. We defined injury as any Crossfit-related event requiring healthcare consultation and interrupting an athlete’s activity. An observational, longitudinal study was conducted with 102 participants categorized into three groups (n = 34): beginner, scale, and rx. An adapted injury index questionnaire was applied, and descriptive statistics were performed. Results showed that the most frequent injuries affected the shoulder and knee, with variations across the different athlete categories. Beginners exhibited the highest injury rates: knee (56%) and shoulder (35%). The scale group presented a greater concentration of shoulder injuries, whereas rx demonstrated the lowest injury incidence overall. Over the 12-month follow-up, 135 injuries were reported at baseline, decreasing to 116 at six months and 101 at the final evaluation. Dropout rates were 35% among beginners, 12% in the scale group, and 0% in the rx group. Crossfit-related injuries primarily affect the shoulders and knees, with a higher incidence in beginners. Future studies should investigate movement technique, strength, mobility, and limb dominance considering the overhead demands and the associated injury risk, in addition studies should examine training programming too Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endurance Sports Performance: Training, Recovery and Injury-Prevention Strategies)
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14 pages, 1044 KB  
Article
Towards Accurate Reference Values for Heart Rate and Speed Zones by Aerobic Fitness and Sex in Long-Distance Runners
by Jonathan Esteve-Lanao, Sergio Sellés-Pérez, Héctor Arévalo-Chico and Roberto Cejuela
Sports 2026, 14(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports14010029 - 7 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2325
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to provide reference values for estimating training intensities in long-distance runners based on progressive incremental tests, considering differences related to sex and performance level. Methods: A total of 1411 endurance-trained runners (819 men and 592 women) completed a standardized [...] Read more.
Background: This study aimed to provide reference values for estimating training intensities in long-distance runners based on progressive incremental tests, considering differences related to sex and performance level. Methods: A total of 1411 endurance-trained runners (819 men and 592 women) completed a standardized treadmill protocol with gas exchange analysis to determine ventilatory thresholds and peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). Heart rate (HR) and running speed at each threshold were expressed relative to their peak values. Results: HR at second ventilatory threshold (VT2) occurred at 93.5 ± 2.5% of HR peak, and HR at first ventilatory threshold at 85.1 ± 4.6%. The relative running speeds at VT2 and VT1 corresponded to 87.6 ± 3.9% and 73.9 ± 5.5% of the speed at VO2peak, respectively. In men, beginners exhibited higher relative HR and VO2 values at the ventilatory thresholds than elite runners. In contrast, women displayed higher and more stable relative values across performance levels. Conclusions: These findings establish precise, evidence-based reference ranges derived from a large cohort of runners and highlight the need to consider sex and performance level when estimating exercise intensities. Individualized physiological assessment remains essential for accurate training prescription and performance optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endurance Sports Performance: Training, Recovery and Injury-Prevention Strategies)
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16 pages, 2100 KB  
Article
Effects of Contrast Water Therapy on Physiological and Perceptual Recovery Following High-Intensity Interval Swimming in Collegiate Swimmers
by Kazuki Kino, Mitsuo Neya, Yuya Watanabe and Noriyuki Kida
Sports 2026, 14(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports14010026 - 5 Jan 2026
Viewed by 3442
Abstract
This study examined the effects of contrast water therapy (CWT) on physiological, perceptual, and performance-related recovery in collegiate male swimmers following high-intensity interval training. Fifteen freestyle swimmers (19.3 ± 1.1 years) completed two sessions of five 100 m maximal-effort intervals under two recovery [...] Read more.
This study examined the effects of contrast water therapy (CWT) on physiological, perceptual, and performance-related recovery in collegiate male swimmers following high-intensity interval training. Fifteen freestyle swimmers (19.3 ± 1.1 years) completed two sessions of five 100 m maximal-effort intervals under two recovery conditions, CWT and passive rest (PAS), in a crossover design. The CWT protocol consisted of 10 alternating immersions in hot (40–41 °C, 60 s) and cold (20–21 °C, 30 s) water. Blood lactate (LA), blood pressure (BP), and subjective fatigue (VAS-FAS) were assessed at multiple time points. Compared with PAS, CWT resulted in significantly lower post-recovery blood LA (7.75 ± 2.08 vs. 10.86 ± 2.86 mmol/L, p = 0.002) and reduced subjective fatigue (6.60 ± 1.30 vs. 7.60 ± 0.91 cm, p = 0.021), whereas no significant differences were observed in BP or 100-m swimming performance. Individual-level analyses revealed heterogeneous responses, with most swimmers demonstrating improved lactate clearance and reduced fatigue following CWT, although performance responses varied among participants. These findings indicate that CWT facilitates physiological and perceptual recovery without producing immediate performance enhancement. CWT may be considered a practical short-term recovery option for competitive swimmers, although its effectiveness likely depends on individual response characteristics. Further research involving larger and more diverse samples is warranted to clarify optimal application parameters and individual recovery profiles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endurance Sports Performance: Training, Recovery and Injury-Prevention Strategies)
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16 pages, 1166 KB  
Article
Real-Time Performance Prediction in Long-Distance Trail Running: A Practical Model Based on Terrain Difficulty and Pacing Variability
by Héctor Gutiérrez, Eduardo Piedrafita, Pablo Jesús Bascuas, Irela Arbonés, César Berzosa and Ana Vanessa Bataller-Cervero
Sports 2025, 13(11), 385; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13110385 - 4 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2194
Abstract
Trail running is a demanding endurance sport where performance prediction models often rely on laboratory testing or pre-race data, limiting their practical application. This study presents a real-time predictive model for marathon and ultra-trail races, based on variables recorded during the race, including [...] Read more.
Trail running is a demanding endurance sport where performance prediction models often rely on laboratory testing or pre-race data, limiting their practical application. This study presents a real-time predictive model for marathon and ultra-trail races, based on variables recorded during the race, including uphill/downhill pace-times, terrain difficulty coefficients, and partial rankings. A total of 947 runners from the ‘Trail Valle de Tena’ event (Spain) were analyzed to develop equations that estimate total race time using only the first third of the race. The model incorporates weighted time (WTn), pacing variability (WTVn,n+2), and checkpoint percentile rank (CPRn), showing strong predictive power (adjusted R2 > 0.95) across sexes and race modalities. These variables reflect the runner’s ability to both overcome elevation and maintain consistent pacing, offering insights into fatigue management and performance optimization. The model enables coaches and athletes to monitor race progression, adjust strategies in real time, and potentially reduce injury risk through better control of effort intensity. Unlike laboratory-based models, this approach is fully applicable in field conditions and does not require prior testing. Further validation in similar endurance events is recommended to confirm its utility as a practical tool for training and competition planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endurance Sports Performance: Training, Recovery and Injury-Prevention Strategies)
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