Pacing in Long-Distance Running: Sex and Age Differences in 10-km Race and Marathon.

Ivan Cuk,Elias Villiger,Pantelis T Nikolaidis,Beat Knechtle

doi:10.3390/medicina57040389

Ivan Cuk, Elias Villiger + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57040389

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Abstract

Background and objective: The recent availability of data from mass-participation running events has allowed researchers to examine pacing from the perspective of non-elite distance runners. Based on an extensive analysis of the literature, we concluded that no study utilizing mass-participation events data has ever directly compared pacing in the 10-km race, with other long-distance races. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to assess and compare pacing between 10-km runners and marathoners, in regards to their sex and age. Materials and methods: For the purpose of this study, official results from the Oslo marathon (n = 8828) and 10-km race (n = 16,315) held from 2015 to 2018 were included. Results: Both 10-km runners and marathoners showed positive pacing strategies. Moreover, two-way analysis of variance showed that women were less likely to slow in the marathon than men (9.85% in comparison to 12.70%) however, not in the 10-km race (3.99% in comparison to 3.38%). Finally, pace changing is more prominent in youngest and oldest marathoners comparing to the other age groups (12.55% in comparison to 10.96%). Conclusions: Based on these findings, practitioners should adopt different training programmes for marathoners in comparison to shorter long-distance runners.

Highlights

Regardless of their sex and age, both 10-km runners and marathoners showed a positive pacing strategy
It seems that running performance does not affect pacing in the 10-km, as it does in the marathon [11,26]
Marathoners achieved a faster speed than the 10-km runners (Table 1), we can assume that the 10-km runners were mostly beginners in comparison to the marathoners

Summary

Introduction

A pacing strategy that can classify as optimal depends on many factors (e.g., race length and profile, altitude, or weather conditions [4,5]) an even pacing strategy with an end-spurt has often been the best choice for long-distance events [6]. This strategy was best seen in the recent successful sub-2-h marathon challenge by Eliud Kipchoge, where the pacing was artificially controlled to be even throughout the race, with the spontaneous end-spurt by Kipchoge in the last several hundred meters [7]. Based on an extensive analysis of the literature, we concluded that no study utilizing mass-participation events data has ever directly compared pacing in the 10-km race, with other long-distance races. Conclusions: Based on these findings, practitioners should adopt different training programmes for marathoners in comparison to shorter long-distance runners

Objectives

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion