Dont know how i got to read this but i just came across.......
Not sure how trained the fellas were, but i thinks those here who are performance based and have at least some structure shd be representative.
Of coz for those who are interested, can read the whole PDF, least the abstract got caveats and nuances that are not represented properly......and how good a study was this and what reps/sets the drop jumps were, i dont know. No time to read details also. But main takeaway is 23.9% improvement in 2.4.

I think there shd be significant carryover to 5k and possibly 10k.
Just sharing ba.........
edit - but yeah, my knowledge is that drop jumps are really good for runners and basically the best.......folloed by depth, followed by pogos (or even single legged skipping rope might count).
Another aspect is also, plyo is really time efficient, can be done literally anywhere and hence fit your schedule, is really gold with the possibility of very good returns for the buck you put in.
https://www.academia.edu/117364098/..._Competitive_Middle_and_Long_Distance_Runners
Effects of Plyometric Training on Endurance and Explosive Strength Performance in Competitive Middle- and Long-Distance Runners
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a short-term plyometric training program on explosive strength and endurance performance in highly competitive middle-and long-distance runners. Athletes were randomly assigned to a control group (CG, n = 18, 12 men) and an explosive strength training group (TG, n = 18, 10 men). Drop jump (DJ) from 20 (DJ20) and 40 cm (DJ40), countermovement jump with arms (CMJA), 20-m sprint time, and 2.4-km endurance run time test were carried out before and after 6 weeks of explosive strength training. Also, the combined standardized performance (CSP) in the endurance and explosive strength test was analyzed. After intervention, the CG did not show any significant change in performance, whereas the TG showed a significant reduction in 2.4-km endurance run time (23.9%) and 20-m sprint time (22.3%) and an increase in CMJA (+8.9%), DJ20 (+12.7%), and DJ40 (16.7%) explosive performance. Strength training group also exhibited a significant increase in CSP, although the CG showed significant reduction. We conclude that properly programmed concurrent explosive strength and endurance training could be advantageous for middle-and long-distance runners in their competitive performance, especially in events characterized by sprinting actions with small time differences at the end of the race.
Key takeaways
AI
- Plyometric training significantly improved 2.4-km run time by 23.9% in trained runners.
- Explosive strength increased in the training group: CMJA (+8.9%), DJ20 (+12.7%), DJ40 (+16.7%).
- Control group showed no significant performance changes, indicating the effectiveness of plyometric training.
- Combined Standardized Performance (CSP) improved in the training group, contrasting with a decline in the control group.
- Plyometric training can be effectively integrated into regular endurance training for competitive runners.