Digital Mindset Intervention for Half Marathon Performance

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Healthy; Exercise; Psychological Intervention

• Registration Number: NCT06972121
• Lead Sponsor: University of Auckland, New Zealand

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to test whether a brief digital mindset training program can improve performance among recreational runners training for a half marathon in New Zealand in 2025. The study will recruit healthy adult participants who are registered for an upcoming half-marathon event.

The study aims to answer two main questions:

1. Does the mindset training program - designed to reframe common physical symptoms like fatigue or muscle soreness as signs of progress - help more runners complete the race and improve their official times, compared to standard training advice?

2. Does it support better training (e.g., longer peak training weeks) and faster physical recovery after the race?

Researchers will compare participants who receive the mindset training program to those who receive widely followed half-marathon training content and a group who receive no study content, to see whether the mindset training leads to better half-marathon performance and training outcomes.

Participants will:

* Complete a brief online survey at the start of the study

* Receive and engage with four pieces of digital content across nine weeks before the half-marathon race (if assigned to a training group)

* Complete a follow-up survey after the half-marathon

Detailed Description

This randomized controlled trial evaluates whether a brief digital mindset intervention can improve performance and training outcomes among recreational runners training for a half marathon. The intervention is grounded in psychological theories of mindsets, expectation, placebo effects, and effort perception, which suggest that how individuals interpret physical symptoms during exercise-such as fatigue or muscle soreness-can influence motivation, persistence, and overall outcomes.

The intervention aims to reframe mild physical symptoms experienced during training as signs of physiological adaptation rather than negative signals, helping participants develop more adaptive mindsets about effort and endurance. Intervention content includes brief digital modules that introduce the concept of meta-mindsets (beliefs about how mindsets influence experiences and outcomes) and provide applied strategies for interpreting discomfort as a normal and constructive part of the endurance training process.

The digital modules are delivered over a nine-week period leading up to the participant's half marathon and are designed to be time-efficient and accessible. To ensure comparability, participants assigned to the active control group receive parallel-format digital modules that focus on widely followed training advice, without any mindset-related material. Participants in the control group do not receive digital content during the study period. All intervention content is delivered via the Intervengine platform or email.

Participants are randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three study arms. Randomization is conducted independently using a computer-generated allocation sequence. The study follows an intention-to-treat analysis approach, with additional per-protocol analyses among participants who complete the intervention and race.

Statistical analyses will include ANOVA and mixed-model approaches to assess group differences in primary and secondary outcomes over time. Missing data will be addressed using multiple imputation techniques. All eligibility criteria, outcome measures, and intervention details are specified in the relevant sections of the clinical trial registration record.

This trial contributes to a growing body of research examining scalable psychological interventions that support physical activity adherence and performance. It explores whether brief mindset-focused training can enhance endurance outcomes in real-world, non-clinical athletic contexts.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2025-04-14
• Status Verified: 2025-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-05-06
• Study First Posted: 2025-05-14
• Study Start: 2025-05-15
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-21
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-28
• Primary Completion: 2025-09
• Study Completion: 2025-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 207

Inclusion Criteria

• Be aged 18 years or older
• Be registered to run (not walk) in a 2025 half marathon in New Zealand
• Be running their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd half marathon
• Be able to complete the half-marathon without physical assistance or aids
• Be able to read and understand English
• Have regular access to email or an internet-connected device

Exclusion Criteria

• Have completed more than 2 half marathons in the past
• Are currently injured or unable to complete the race unassisted
• Are unable to complete online questionnaires independently
• Do not have access to a device capable of receiving digital content via app or email

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Official Race Times	At half-marathon race completion (approximately 9 weeks after intervention start)	The primary study outcome is the official half-marathon finish time recorded for each participant (in hours, minutes, and seconds)
Race Completion	At half-marathon race completion (approximately 9 weeks after intervention start)	Number of participants who complete a half marathon, across each study arm.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Race Recovery	1-week post-race (self-reported number of days to recover since race day)	Number of days it took participants to feel fully recovered from their half-marathon race. For example, when fatigue and muscle pain subsided.
Peak Training Week Run Frequency	1-week post-race (reflecting participant-identified peak training week, usually 3-4 weeks before race day)	The number of days each participant ran during their peak training week before the half-marathon race.; Measured with the question: During your peak training week, how many days did you train? (days/week)
Peak Training Week - Total Distance Run	1-week post-race (reflecting participant-identified peak training week, usually 3-4 weeks before race day)	The total distance (in kilometers) that each participant ran across all training runs during their peak training week prior to the half-marathon race.; Measured with the question: During your peak training week, what was the total distance you ran across all your runs that week? (km)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland; 🇳🇿 Auckland, New Zealand