Pacing strategies by age in marathon cross-country skiing

Abstract

ABSTRACTObjectives: Pacing strategies have mainly been investigated for runners, but little is known for cross-country skiers. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether differences in pacing strategies do exist between younger and older cross-country skiers competing in the 42 km ‘Engadin Ski Marathon’.Methods: Pacing was studied in 105,565 cross-country skiers (classified in 5-year age groups) competing between 1998 and 2016 in this race by examining changes of mean section velocity in 10 km (Change A, i.e. 100×(velocity in the 10-20 km section – velocity in the 0-10 km section)/velocity in the 0-10 km section), 20 km (Change B) and 35 km (Change C).Results: A small sex×distance (i.e. Change A versus Change B versus Change C) interaction on change of velocity was shown (P < .001, η2 = 0.016), with women showing a less even pacing than men. In women, there was a trivial main effect of age group on Change A (P < .001, η2 = 0.008) with a smaller decrease in velocity in age group <20 (−7.4%) and larger decrease in velocity in age group 75–79 (−12.8%), and Change B (P = .006, η2 = 0.004) with smaller increase in velocity in age group 75–79 (+30.6%) and larger increase in velocity in age group 40–44 (+37.7%), but not on Change C (P = .784, η2 = 0.003). In men, a small main effect of age group on Change A was shown (P < .001, η2 = 0.019), with a smaller decrease of velocity in age group <20 (−3.5%) and larger in age group 70–74 (−10.5%). Trivial main effects of age group on Change B (P < .001, η2 = .002), with a smaller increase of velocity in age group 85–89 (+25.8%) and larger increase in age group 70–74 (+33.0%), and Change C (P < .001, η2 = 0.003), with smaller decrease of velocity in age group 85–89 (−38.2%) and larger decrease in age group 80–84 (−41.0%), were found.Conclusions: Based on these findings, it was concluded that men and young cross-country skiers had a more even pacing than women and older cross-country skiers, which was in contrast with previous findings in other endurance sports, suggesting that the sex- and age-related differences in pacing might be sport-dependent.