This study investigated 57 male junior high school students who received coaching in endurance running using 3 methods: the all-out method, the inner/outer track (I/OT) method, and the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) method. We compared the changes in awareness regarding endurance running and explored the factors responsible for these changes based on exercise intensity and pace strategy. Our results were as follows: 1) Before implementation of the coaching methods, most students (59.2%) disliked endurance running. The all-out method had almost no change on this attitude, 53.2% of the students still continuing to dislike endurance running. After training using the I/OT method, 42.9% of students disliked endurance running, and after training using the RPE method, this proportion was reduced to 22.2%. 2) The students’ responses to open-ended questions revealed that 66.7% of them associated the all-out method with pain, and that 12.5% associated it with competition. After the I/OT method, 55.1% of the responses were related to pain. However, compared to the all-out method, more students (22.4%) mentioned competition. After the RPE method, the most common point mentioned was remaining strength (51.1%), followed by pain (31.1%). 3) When the all-out method was employed, running speed decreased significantly during the early stage, and this gradually continued to the middle stage. When the I/OT method was used, running speed decreased significantly during the early stage, and then repeatedly increased and decreased during the middle stage. Running speed with the RPE method was significantly lower than for the other 2 methods and showed no changes over time. 4) The heart rate observed for each coaching method rose rapidly immediately after the start, and the average heart rate at the 20% time point had increased to 180.5±9.3 bpm and 181.2±9.2 bpm for the all-out and I/OT methods, respectively, and to 165.7±12.3 bpm for the RPE method. The average heart rate increased gradually to 190.0±12.6 bpm and 191.1±9.7 bpm for the all-out and I/OT methods, respectively, at the 70-100% time point. The average heart rate for the RPE method at the 70-100% time point was 179.4±13.2 bpm. 5) Our results indicate that pain associated with the all-out method discouraged endurance running in the participants. With the I/OT method, the sense of competition contributed to a decrease in students’ dislike of endurance running. The RPE method facilitated comfortable and even-paced running, and appeared to instill a positive attitude towards endurance running.
