The age of the best ultramarathon performance – the case of the "Comrades Marathon". Issue 2 (3rd April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Knechtle, Beat; Nikolaidis, Pantelis Theodoros
• Is Part Of: Research in sports medicine. Volume 25:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 132
• Page End: 143
• Publication Date: 2017-04-03
• Subjects: Comrades Marathon -- South Africa -- ultramarathon -- peak age -- athlete -- running; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Athletic Injuries -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine du sport -- Périodiques; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1080/15438627.2017.1282357
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1543-8627

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The aim of the present study was to determine the age of the fastest running speed in 202, 370 runners (34, 090 women and 168, 280 men) competing in the "Comrades Marathon" between 1994 and 2015 using non-linear regression analysis (second order polynomial function). When all runners were considered in 1-year age intervals, the fastest running speed (9.61 ± 1.65 km/h) was achieved at the age of 29.89 years in men, whereas women achieved it at the age of 35.96 years 8.60 ± 1.10 km/h. When the fastest runners were considered in 1-year intervals, the fastest running speed (16.65 km/h) was achieved in men at the age of 36.38 years. For the fastest women, the age of the fastest running speed (13.89 km/h) was 32.75 years. To summarize, for all runners, men achieved the best ultramarathon performance ~6 years earlier than women. When the fastest runners were considered, however, men achieved the best performance ~4 years later than women.