Fasting Women Research Articles

Sex difference in IRONMAN age group triathletes.

The sex difference in athletic performance has been thoroughly investigated in single sport disciplines such as swimming, cycling, and running. In contrast, only small samples of long-distance triathlons, such as the IRONMAN® triathlon, have been investigated so far. The aim of the study was to examine potential sex differences in the three split disciplines by age groups in 5-year intervals in a very large data set of IRONMAN® age group triathletes. Data from 687,696 (553,608 men and 134,088 women) IRONMAN® age group triathletes (in 5-year intervals from 18-24 to 75+ years) finishing successfully between 2002 and 2022 an official IRONMAN® race worldwide were analyzed. The differences in performance between women and men were determined for each split discipline and for the overall race distance. Most finishers were in the age group 40-44 years. The fastest women were in the age group 25-29 years, and the fastest men were in the age group 30-34 years. For all split disciplines and overall race time, men were always faster than women in all groups. The performance difference between the sexes was more pronounced in cycling compared to swimming and running. From the age group 35-39 years until 60-64 years, the sex differences were nearly identical in swimming and running. For both women and men, the smallest sex difference was least significant in age group 18-24 years for all split disciplines and increased in a U-shaped manner until age group 70-74 years. For age groups 75 years and older, the sex difference decreased in swimming and cycling but increased in running. Considering the different characteristics of the race courses, the smallest performance gaps between men and women were found in river swimming, flat surface cycling and rolling running courses. The sex difference in the IRONMAN® triathlon was least significant in age group 18-24 years for all split disciplines and increased in a U-shaped manner until age group 70-74 years. For 75 years and older, the sex difference decreased in swimming and cycling but increased in running.

A Descriptive Analysis of the Fastest Race Courses for Triathletes

Background: For Ironman® triathlon, it has been reported that most of the fnishers and the fastest women and men in Ironman® Hawaii originated from the United States of America (USA). We have, however, no knowledge ofwhere the fastest race courses in the Ironman® 70.3 triathlon took place. We aim to analyse where the Ironman® 70.3 races were held and where the fastest split and overall race times were achieved. Methods: The athletes’ sex, age group, country of origin, and split times for swimming, running, cycling, and transitioning were obtained from the official Ironman® website. To investigate the locations of the fastest Ironman® 70.3 competitions between 2004 and 2020, a full sample of 852,721 qualifying records throughout 197 different event locations was processed. These race records were aggregated by location, and each location’s split and full finish times were calculated. Data analysis was performed first for the full sample (all race records), and then for an elite sub-sample consisting of the top 100 males and top 100 females records in each location. Results: For the full sample, the fastest overall race times were achieved in Ironman® 70.3 Zell am See (Austria). For the top 100 athletes sub-sample, the Ironman® 70.3 European Championship Elsinore and Ironman® 70.3 World Championship were the fastest courses. Conclusion: These results are useful for athletes’ strategic planning and inform event organisers about the strengths of different courses, aiding in the optimisation and promotion of future Ironman® 70.3 races worldwide. Keywords: endurance, performance, half-distance Ironman®, multi-sport, running.

Pacing Variation in Multistage Ultramarathons: Internet-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Ultramarathon running is the most popular ultraendurance competition in terms of the number of races and runners competing annually worldwide; however, no study has compared pacing and performance over a long period. This study analyzes the pacing of successful finishers and nonfinishers in multistage ultramarathons worldwide. A total of 4079 athletes (men=3288; women=791) competing in 99 multistage ultramarathon events from 1983 to 2021 were analyzed, including the number of participants, age, gender, rank, and running speed of successful finishers. The results showed a significant increase in the number of events (n=338) and a significant increase in the number of finishers and nonfinishers (n=5575) in the ultramarathons worldwide during this period. The general linear models (GLMs) of pacing variation showed nonsignificant effects for gender (F1,36.2=2.5; P=.127; ηp2=0.063) and age group (F10,10=0.6; P=.798; ηp2=0.367), but it showed a significant interaction (gender × age) effect (F10,2689=2.3; P=.008; ηp2=0.009). Post hoc analyses showed that men have a higher pacing variation than women in the under 30 years (U30), U35, U45, and U50 groups. Additionally, the fastest women's age group (U35) had the lowest pacing variation. The GLM of pacing variation by gender and event distance showed significant effects for both gender (F1,3=18.5; P<.001; ηp2=0.007) and distance (F2,3=20.1; P<.001; ηp2=0.015). Post hoc analyses showed a growing pacing variation with increasing race distance for both men and women. In addition, men had a higher variation in long events. Furthermore, there was a significant main effect for both genders (F1,3=33.7; P<.001; ηp2=0.012) and rank (F1,3=136.6; P<.001; ηp2=0.048) on performance, with men being faster than women. Pacing varied greatly due to gender (F1,3=4.0; P=.047; ηp2=0.001), with a lower (ie, more even) pacing variation for male athletes in the top 3 finishers. Male nonfinishers showed a higher performance than female nonfinishers (F1,1340=25.6; P<.001), and no difference was identified for pacing variation (F1,789=1.5; P=.228) based on gender. In addition, a weak but significant correlation (r=-0.130; P<.001) was identified between the average running speed and pacing variation for both female and male nonfinishers. In summary, multistage ultramarathon competitions showed an increasing number of competitors and a higher performance challenge. Men have a higher pacing (ie, less even) variation than women, especially observed in longer events. A higher pacing variation was associated with lower performance for men, women, and nonfinishers.

A macro to micro analysis to understand performance in 100-mile ultra-marathons worldwide

The purposes of this study were (i) to describe differences in participation in 100-mile ultra-marathons by continent; (ii) to investigate differences in performance between continents; and (iii) to identify the fastest runners by continent and country. Data from 148,169 athletes (119,408 men), aged 18–81 years, and finishers in a 100-miles ultra-marathon during 1870–2020 were investigated. Information about age, gender, origin, performance level (top three, top 10, top 100) was obtained. Kruskal–Wallis tests and linear regressions were performed. Athletes were mostly from America and Europe. A macro-analysis showed that the fastest men runners were from Africa, while the fastest women runners were from Europe and Africa. Women from Sweden, Hungary and Russia presented the best performances in the top three, top 10 and top 100. Men from Brazil, Russia and Lithuania were the fastest. The lowest performance and participation were observed for runners from Asia. In summary, in 100-miles ultra-marathon running, the majority of athletes were from America, but for both sexes and performance levels, the fastest runners were from Africa. On a country level, the fastest women were from Sweden, Hungary and Russia, while the fastest men were from Brazil, Russia and Lithuania.

Where are the fastest master butterfly swimmers competing in the FINA World Masters Championships from?

While the butterfly stroke has received considerable attention in sports science, the origin of the fastest master butterfly swimmers remains unknown. The present study investigated which geographical locations produce the top-performing master butterfly swimmers within their age groups and gender. A total of 26,512 master butterfly swimmers (11,288 women and 15,224 men) competed in 50 m, 100 m and 200 m races in World Masters Championships held between 1986 and 2019. From each swimmer, the year of competition, first name, last name, age group and distance were recorded. Descriptive data were presented using mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum values, and/or confidence intervals. The top 10 race times for master butterfly swimming and gender were identified for descriptive purposes. Nationalities were then grouped into six categories: the top five nationalities with the most appearances in the top 10 fastest times in butterfly swimming by distance each year and one group consisting of all other nationalities. In the event of a tie, the nationality with the most participants overall was selected. Generalized linear models (GLMs) with a gamma probability distribution and log link function were used to assess the effect of age groups and gender on swimming time. In summary, Germany had the fastest women butterfly master swimmers across all distances, while the USA had the fastest men butterfly master swimmers for all distances. Men covered all distances faster than women and younger swimmers were quicker than older swimmers. The results of this study can be utilized to determine the countries that produce the most successful master butterfly swimmers, providing a foundation for further research to explore the factors that lead to their success.

The Sex Difference in 6-h Ultra-Marathon Running-The Worldwide Trends from 1982 to 2020.

Background and Objectives: The 6-h ultra-marathon is the shortest time-limited ultra-marathon race, but little has been investigated regarding this race format. Previously, only the age of peak performance in the context of longer time-limited ultra-marathons was determined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the trends in 6-h ultra-marathon races from 1982 to 2020 for female and male ultra-runners, the participation and performance by countries, the age of peak performance, and the differences in performance regarding countries. Materials and Methods: The sample included 23,203 female ultra-runners, aged 18–83 years, and 87,264 male ultra-runners, aged 18–85 years, who were finishers in a 6-h ultra-marathon held between 1982 and 2020. The age of peak performance was tested using the Kruskal–Wallis test, followed by the Bonferroni Correction. The difference in performance by countries was verified using a linear regression model with the fastest runners from Russia in women, and Tunisia in men, used as reference. Results: Over the years, the men-to-women ratio decreased. The mean age was 43.20 ± 9.30 years for female and 46.09 ± 10.17 years for male runners. Athletes in younger age groups were faster than athletes in older age groups. Most female and male participants originated from Germany. Women from Russia (10.01 ± 1.28 km/h) and men from Tunisia (12.16 ± 1.46 km/h) were the fastest. Conclusions: In summary, in 6-h ultra-marathons held between 1982 and 2020, the participation for both women and men increased, while the men-to-women ratio decreased. The mean age was higher in men compared to women. Most female and male runners originated from Germany, but the fastest women were from Russia, and the fastest men from Tunisia. Future studies need to investigate whether Russian women and Tunisian men are also the best in other distance-limited ultra-marathon races, such as 12-h and 24-h.

Women's Fasting During Menstruation: A Review on the Narration ‘Are You Ḥarūrī?’

Kadınların hayız günlerinde oruç ibadetleri meselesi, güncel fıkıh tartışmalarında yer bulan bir konudur. Kimi çağdaş araştırmacılar, kadının bu süre zarfında oruç tutmasına dinen bir engel olmadığını, hatta hayız halinde oruca ara vermesine gerek olmadığını ifade ederek bilakis oruç tutmakla yükümlü olduğunu iddia edebilmektedir. Klasik fıkıh kaynaklarında ise kadının bu dönemde oruç tutmasının dinen yasak olduğu belirtilmekte, kimi müfrit görüşlerde bu dönemde oruç tutmanın icmaen haram olduğu iddia edilmektedir. Kadının hayız halinde oruç tutmasını caiz gören ya da yasak olduğunu iddia eden ve hatta haram gören müçtehitlerin tamamının görüşlerini desteklemek üzere sundukları temel delil, Resûlullah’ın (s.a.v) eşi Âişe bnt. Ebî Bekr’den (öl. 58/678) aktarılan bir rivayettir. Âişe, hayızlı iken kılmadığı namazlarını daha sonra kaza etmesinin gerekip gerekmediğini soran bir kadına “sen Harûrî misin?” diye mukabele ederek cevap vermektedir. Bu cevapların bazısında konuya oruç ibadeti ziyâde edilmektedir. Bu makalede, hadislerde hayız halindeki kadının orucu hususu Harûrî Hadisi olarak nitelendirilen rivayet bağlamında, isnad ve metin tahlili esaslı bir biçimde ele alınmaya çalışılmıştır. Konuyla ilgili tespit edilen 71 tarikin metinlerinde, Âişe bnt. Ebî Bekr’in cevabına oruç meselesinin eklendiği vecihlerin, esasen Ma’mer b. Râşid kanalıyla nakledildikleri tayin edilmiştir. Bunun dışında mütâbî tariklerinde oruç bahsinin yer almadığı bazı zayıf tariklerde de oruç konusunun metne ziyâde edildiği görülmektedir. Ziyâdenin bulunmadığı sayıca üstün olan hadislerin sebeb-i rivayetinde Muâze isimli tâbiînin, hayızlı kadının terk ettiği namazları iade etmelerini gerekli gören Hâricîler’e işaret ederek sünnetin ne şekilde olduğunu sorduğu, asıl metnin sorusunda ya da verilen cevapta oruç bahsinin yer almadığı tespit edilmiştir. İlerleyen süreçte ise metnin oruç bahsi idrâc edilmiş halinin asıl metne dönüşerek kadının hayız halinde oruç tutmasının dinen yasaklandığının temel delili haline geldiği görülmektedir. Hadis, terkedilen namazlar iade edilmez ortak minvalinde ve tâbiînden bu yönde fikir belirtenlerin görüşleriyle ilk dönem kaynaklarında yer bulurken, ilerleyen dönem eserlerinde hususiyetle oruç ziyâdesinin yer aldığı rivayetler tercih edilmiş; metindeki ziyâde, kadının hayız halinde oruç tutmasının dinen yasak olduğunun dinî delili haline gelmiştir. Hayızlı kadının orucu ile ilgili olarak kaynaklarda yer alan başka rivayetler de mevcuttur. Âişe’nin “Eğer Ramazan’dan oruç borcum var ise…” şeklindeki bir sözü, hayız halinde kadının orucu zorunlu olarak bıraktığının delili olarak görülmüştür. Bir rivayette Hz. Peygamber’e izafe edilen “...kadın hayız olduğunda namaz kılmadı, oruç tutmadı” ifadesinin, kimi metinlerde “Ramazan’da yer içersiniz…” lafzı ile geldiği, İbn Mes‘ûd’un naklinde ise oruç konusu yer almaksızın “...şu kadar gün oturur, secde etmezsiniz” şeklinde nakledildiği görülmektedir. Bir diğer rivayette Hamne bnt. Cahş istihâze halinden hayıflandığında Allah Resûlü’nün, namazı için günlerini nasıl düzenleyeceğini izah ettikten sonra “...gücün yeterse de orucunu tut” buyurduğu belirtilmektedir. Tüm bu rivayetler Allah Resûlü’nün hayızlıya oruç yasağı ihdas etmediğini, aksine hayız sebebiyle oruca ara verildiğine işaret ettiğini göstermektedir. Orucun, namaz gibi iadesinden muaf olunan bir ibadet olmadığı, tutulabileceği halde orucunu bıraktığında kadının üzerinde oluşan bu borcu daha sonra mutlak surette ödemek ile yükümlü olacağını, böylelikle hasta ve yolcunun oruca ara verişine kıyas edildiğini söylemek mümkündür. Klasik fıkıh eserlerinde hayızlı kadının terk ettiği namazlarını iade etmesinin gerekmeyeceği ifade edilirken, bir ibadetin ifasının vücubiyeti için Allah resulünün açık bir emrinin gerektiği vurgulanmış; Allah Resûlü’nün kadına hayız halinde kılmadığı namazlarını kaza etmesini açıkça emretmediği delil gösterilerek namazın iadesinin gerekmediği hükmüne varılmıştır. Bununla birlikte hayız sırasında orucun terk edilmesi hususunda benzer bir açık emir arayışına gidilmemiştir. Sahâbî hanımların hayızlı iken tutmadıkları oruçlarını kaza ettiklerini haber veren rivayetler, hayız esnasında orucun mutlak olarak yasak olduğuna delil görülerek bu metinlerin temel işareti olan orucu kaza etme zorunluğu, kazaya bırakma zorunluluğu olarak anlaşılmıştır. Hayızlının kılmadığı namazlarını iadesi meselesinde “kaza etmesi gerekseydi, Allah Resûlü bunu açıkça emrederdi” denilirken, oruç ibadeti için “terk etmesi gerekseydi, Allah Resûlü bunu açıkça emrederdi” denilmemiştir. Yapılan inceleme neticesinde rivayetlerin oruç tutma yasağını ortaya koyduklarından daha net bir ölçüde herhangi bir yasağın olmadığının delili olduğu görülmektedir. Rivayetlerdeki vurguyu kadının oruca ara vermesinin caiz olduğu, fakat tutmadığı oruçları mutlak surette ödemekle yükümlü olduğu, namaz ibadetinde olduğu gibi kazadan muaf olmadığı şeklinde anlamak mümkündür.

From Athens to Sparta-37 Years of Spartathlon.

(1) Background: Recent studies analyzed the participation and performance trends of historic races such as the oldest ultra-marathon (Comrades) or the oldest 100-km ultra-marathon (Biel). One of the toughest and historic ultra-marathons in the world is the ‘Spartathlon’ (246-km ultra-marathon from Athens to Sparta). The present study aimed to analyze the trends in participation and performance of this race. (2) Methods: Different general linear models were applied as follows: the first model was a two-way ANOVA (Decade × Sex), with separate models for all participants and for only the top five finishers in each race; the second model was a two-way ANOVA (Age Group × Sex); the third model was a two-way ANOVA (Nationality × Sex). (3) Results: Between 1982 and 2019, 3504 ultra-marathoners (3097 men and 407 women) officially finished the Spartathlon at least once. Athletes from Japan were the majority with 737 participants, followed by far by runners from Germany (n = 393), Greece (n = 326), and France (n = 274). The nations with the highest numbers of athletes amongst the top five performers were Japan (n = 71), followed by Germany (n = 59), and Great Britain (n = 31). Runners from the USA were the fastest in men, and runners from Great Britain were the fastest in women. Female and male runners improved performance across the decades. The annual five fastest women and men improved their performance over time. Runners achieved their best performance earlier in life (20–29 and 30–39 years) than female runners (30–39 and 40–49 years). Runners in age group 30–39 years were the fastest for all nationalities, except for Greece. (4) Conclusions: Successful finishers in the Spartathlon improved performance in the last four decades and male runners achieved their best performance ~10 years earlier in life than female runners.

Women's fasting habits and dietary diversity during Ramadan in rural Bangladesh

Little is known about fasting practices and dietary changes during Ramadan in low‐ and lower‐middle‐income countries. Although pregnant women are exempt from fasting, they may still fast. This is of interest as dietary habits during pregnancy may affect the development of the unborn child. In a community‐based sample of young women in rural Sylhet division, Bangladesh, we described fasting practices and beliefs (n = 852). We also examined reported food group consumption and minimally adequate dietary diversity for women (MDD‐W) by Ramadan occurrence (n = 1,895) and by fasting adherence (n = 558) using logistic regression with Hindu women as a seasonal control.During Ramadan in 2018, 78% of pregnant Muslim women fasted every day. Over 80% of Muslim women believe that they should fast during pregnancy and over 50% expect positive health effects on the mother and the unborn child. We found strong evidence that Muslim women have more diverse diets during Ramadan, with higher odds of MDD‐W (OR [95% CI]: 5.0 [3.6, 6.9]) and increased consumption of pulses, dairy, fruit, and large fish. Dietary diversity increased to a lesser extent on non‐fasting days during Ramadan. Ramadan appears to improve dietary quality in both fasting and non‐fasting Muslim women in a rural population in Bangladesh. These results help to interpret findings from studies on Ramadan during pregnancy on later‐life outcomes and thus contribute to a better understanding of intrauterine influences of maternal nutrition on healthy child development.

Even Pacing Is Associated with Faster Finishing Times in Ultramarathon Distance Trail Running-The "Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc" 2008-2019.

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of investigations analyzing the effects of sex, performance level, and age on pacing in various running disciplines. However, little is known about the impact of those factors on pacing strategies in ultramarathon trail running. This study investigated the effects of age, sex, and performance level on pacing in the UTMB® (Ultra-trail du Mont Blanc) and aimed to verify previous findings obtained in the research on other running disciplines and other ultramarathon races. Data from the UTMB® from 2008 to 2019 for 13,829 race results (12,681 men and 1148 women) were analyzed. A general linear model (two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)) was applied to identify a sex, age group, and interaction effect in pace average and pace variation. A univariate model (one-way ANOVA) was used to identify a sex effect for age, pace average, and pace variation for the fastest men and women. In our study, pace average and a steadier pace were positively correlated. Even pacing throughout the UTMB® correlated with faster finishing times. The average pace depended significantly on sex and age group. When considering the top five athletes in each age group, sex and age group also had significant effects on pace variation. The fastest women were older than the fastest men, and the fastest men were faster than the fastest women. Women had a higher pace variation than men. In male competitors, younger age may be advantageous for a successful finish of the UTMB®. Faster male runners seemed to be younger in ultramarathon trail running with large changes in altitude when compared to other distances and terrains.

American Masters Road Running Records-The Performance Gap Between Female and Male Age Group Runners from 5 Km to 6 Days Running.

Recent studies investigating elite and master athletes in pool- and long-distance open-water swimming showed for elite swimmers that the fastest women were able to outperform the fastest men, and for master athletes that elderly women were able to achieve a similar performance to elderly men. The present study investigating age group records in runners from 5 km to 6 days aimed to test this hypothesis for master runners. Data from the American Master Road Running Records were analyzed, for 5 km, 8 km, 10 km, 10 miles, 20 km, half-marathon, 25 km, 30 km, marathon, 50 km, 50 miles, 100 km, 100 miles, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h and 144 h, for athletes in age groups ranging from 40 to 99 years old. The performance gap between men and women showed higher effects in events lengthening from 5 km to 10 miles (d = 0.617) and lower effects in events lengthening from 12 to 144 h (d = 0.304) running. Both other groups showed similar effects, being 20 km to the marathon (d = 0.607) and 50 km to 100 miles (d = 0.563). The performance gap between men and women showed higher effects in the age groups 85 years and above (d = 0.953) followed by 55 to 69 years (d = 0.633), and lower effects for the age groups 40 to 54 years (d = 0.558) and 70 to 84 years (d = 0.508). In summary, men are faster than women in American road running events, however, the sex gap decreases with increasing age but not with increasing event length.

The Reality of Olympic Sprinting

Every four years, people from around the world gather together to watch the Summer Olympic Games. It is a time of excitement, unity, and excellent competition. However, it is also a time of inspiration for those watching, to pursue a new passion in sports. Moreover, one of the sports all individuals are so easily drawn is that of sprinting. For there is a great simplicity, yet true power to being one of the fastest men or women on the planet. Whether an individual is competing or modestly observing, the world predominantly desires to see, not just who is fast, but who is the fastest. Moreover, this comes from many with the expectation of a world record from one or all sprinting events. However, are these expectations too high, or should the world feel let down when another Olympics passes without a new sprinting world record to claim? This paper aims to provide the exact answer to that question using the fundamental tools from mathematical statistics and probability.

Ramadan during pregnancy and birth weight of newborns.

Previous studies suggest that Ramadan exposure during pregnancy might affect the health of women and their babies, particularly through the effect of fasting. This study aimed to evaluate the association between Ramadan exposure and fasting during pregnancy on the birth weight of newborns. This study concerned 1351 pregnant women from a prospective cohort in Jakarta, Indonesia. Ramadan exposure was based on the actual overlap between Ramadan and pregnancy. Women's fasting behaviour was recorded among 139 women who came for antenatal care between 10 July 2013 and 7 August 2013, and those who had fasted for at least 1 d (n 110) were classified as exposed to Ramadan fasting. Furthermore, a 24 h dietary recall was performed and repeated 1 month later. Birth weight of newborns who were exposed to Ramadan during pregnancy did not significantly differ from those who were not, both in the total and trimester-specific analysis. Maternal fasting did not seem to affect the birth weight of newborns (-72 (95 % CI -258, 114) g; P = 0·44), although there was a non-significant trend towards lower birth weight with fasting in the second and third trimester. Women who fasted had significantly lower total energy, macronutrient and water intake as compared with women who did not. Women's intake was also lower during Ramadan (regardless of their fasting behaviour) as compared with 1 month later. Lifestyle changes that occur with Ramadan and fasting during pregnancy are associated with lower reported energy intake. We cannot conclude on the effect of fasting on birth weight due to low statistical power.

The age of the best ultramarathon performance – the case of the “Comrades Marathon”

ABSTRACTThe 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.

Sex differences in pacing during 'Ultraman Hawaii'.

BackgroundTo date, little is known for pacing in ultra-endurance athletes competing in a non-stop event and in a multi-stage event, and especially, about pacing in a multi-stage event with different disciplines during the stages. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the effect of age, sex and calendar year on triathlon performance and variation of performance by events (i.e., swimming, cycling 1, cycling 2 and running) in ‘Ultraman Hawaii’ held between 1983 and 2015.MethodsWithin each sex, participants were grouped in quartiles (i.e., Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4) with Q1 being the fastest (i.e., lowest overall time) and Q4 the slowest (i.e., highest overall time). To compare performance among events (i.e., swimming, cycling 1, cycling 2 and running), race time in each event was converted in z score and this value was used for further analysis.ResultsA between-within subjects ANOVA showed a large sex × event (p = 0.015, η2 = 0.014) and a medium performance group × event interaction (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.012). No main effect of event on performance was observed (p = 0.174, η2 = 0.007). With regard to the sex × event interaction, three female performance groups (i.e., Q2, Q3 and Q4) increased race time from swimming to cycling 1, whereas only one male performance group (Q4) revealed a similar trend. From cycling 1 to cycling 2, the two slower female groups (Q3 and Q4) and the slowest male group (Q4) increased raced time. In women, the fastest group decreased (i.e., improved) race time from swimming to cycling 1 and thereafter, maintained performance, whereas in men, the fastest group decreased race time till cycling 2 and increased it in the running.ConclusionIn summary, women pace differently than men during ‘Ultraman Hawaii’ where the fastest women decreased performance on day 1 and could then maintain on day 2 and 3, whereas the fastest men worsened performance on day 1 and 2 but improved on day 3.

Participation and performance trends in elderly marathoners in four of the world’s largest marathons during 2004–2011

Performance and age of elite marathoners is well known. Participation and performance trends of elderly marathoners (75 years and older) are not well investigated. This study investigated participation and performance trends in elderly marathoners older than 75 years competing during 2004–2011 in four races (Berlin, New York, Chicago and Boston) of the ‘World Marathon Majors’ using mixed-effects regression models. Participation for women and men remained unchanged at 17 and 114, respectively, during the investigated period. For all finishers, marathon race times showed a significant and positive trend for gender, calendar year and age. For the annual fastest, calendar year and age showed a significant and positive trend. For the annual three fastest, gender, calendar year and age showed a significant and positive trend. The gender difference for the annual fastest and the annual three fastest showed no change across years. For the annual fastest and the annual three fastest, race times were fastest in the youngest age group (75–79 years) and slowest in the oldest age group (85–89 and 80–84 years, respectively). The gender difference in marathon race times remained unchanged across years at 19.7 ± 11.2, 28.1 ± 23.8 and 41.9 ± 22.6 % for the annual fastest in age groups 75–79, 80–84 and 85–89 years, respectively. For the annual three fastest men and women in age groups 75–79 and 80–84 years, the values were 23.7 ± 3.2 and 30.0 ± 13.2 %, respectively. In summary, for marathoners older than 75 years participating during 2004–2011 in four of the largest marathons in the world, participation for female and male runners remained unchanged, the fastest women and men became slower across years and the gender difference in performance remained unchanged. These findings might be the results of the relatively short period of time of 8 years. Future studies might investigate the performance trends in a large city marathon across a longer period of time.

Women cross the 'Catalina Channel' faster than men.

Open-water ultra-distance swimming has a long history where the ‘English Channel’ (~33 km) was crossed in 1875 for the first time. Nowadays, the three most challenging open-water swims worldwide are the 21-miles (34 km) ‘English Channel Swim’, the 20.1-miles (32.2 km) ‘Catalina Channel Swim’ and the 28.5-miles (45.9 km) ‘Manhattan Island Marathon Swim’, also called the ‘Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming’. Recent studies showed that women were able to achieve men’s performance in the ‘English Channel Swim’ or to even outperform men in the ‘Manhattan Island Marathon Swim’. However, the analysis of the ‘Catalina Channel Swim’ as part of the ‘Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming’ is missing. We investigated performance and sex difference in performance for successful women and men crossing the ‘Catalina Channel’ between 1927 and 2014. The fastest woman ever was ~22 min faster than the fastest man ever. Although the three fastest women ever were ~20 min faster than the three fastest men ever, the difference reached not statistical significance (p > 0.05). Similarly for the ten fastest ever, the ~1 min difference for women was not significant (p > 0.05). However, when the swimming times of the annual fastest women (n = 39) and the annual fastest men (n = 50) competing between 1927 and 2014 were compared, women (651 ± 173 min) were 52.9 min (16 ± 12%) faster than men (704 ± 279 min) (p < 0.0001). Across years, swimming times decreased non-linearly in the annual fastest men (polynomial 2nd degree) and women (polynomial 3rd degree) whereas the sex difference decreased linearly from 52.4% (1927) to 7.1% (2014). In summary, the annual fastest women crossed the ‘Catalina Channel’ faster than the annual fastest men. The non-linear decrease in swimming times suggests that female and male swimmers have reached a limit in this event. However, the linear decrease in the sex difference may indicate that women continuously narrow the gap to men.

Performance and Age of the Fastest Female and Male 100-km Ultramarathoners Worldwide From 1960 to 2012

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the change in 100-km running performance and in the age of peak performance for 100-km ultramarathoners. Age and running speed of the annual fastest women and men in all 100-km ultramarathons held worldwide between 1960 and 2012 were analyzed in 148,017 finishes with 18,998 women and 129,019 men using single, multivariate, and nonlinear regressions. Running speed of the annual fastest men increased from 8.67 to 15.65 km.h(-1) and from 8.06 to 13.22 km.h(-1) for the annual fastest women. For the annual 10 fastest men, running speed increased from 10.23 ± 1.22 to 15.05 ± 0.29 km.h(-1) (p < 0.0001) and for the annual 10 fastest women from 7.18 ± 1.54 to 13.03 ± 0.18 km.h(-1) (p < 0.0001). The sex difference decreased from 56.1 to 16.3% for the annual fastest finishers (p < 0.0001) and from 46.7 ± 8.7% to 14.0 ± 1.2% for the annual 10 fastest finishers (p < 0.0001). The age of the annual fastest men increased from 29 to 40 years (p = 0.025). For the annual fastest women, the age remained unchanged at 35.0 ± 9.7 years (p = 0.469). For the annual 10 fastest women and men, the age remained unchanged at 34.9 ± 3.2 (p = 0.902) and 34.5 ± 2.5 years (p = 0.064), respectively. To summarize, 100-km ultramarathoners became faster, the sex difference in performance decreased but the age of the fastest finishers remained unchanged at ∼ 35 years. For athletes and coaches to plan a career as 100-km ultramarathoner, the age of the fastest female and male 100-km ultramarathoners remained unchanged at ∼ 35 years between 1960 and 2012 although the runners improved their performance over time.

Performance differences between sexes in 50-mile to 3,100-mile ultramarathons.

Anecdotal reports have assumed that women would be able to outrun men in long-distance running. The aim of this study was to test this assumption by investigating the changes in performance difference between sexes in the best ultramarathoners in 50-mile, 100-mile, 200-mile, 1,000-mile, and 3,100-mile events held worldwide between 1971 and 2012. The sex differences in running speed for the fastest runners ever were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance with subsequent Tukey–Kramer posthoc analysis. Changes in sex difference in running speed of the annual fastest were analyzed using linear and nonlinear regression analyses, correlation analyses, and mixed-effects regression analyses. The fastest men ever were faster than the fastest women ever in 50-mile (17.5%), 100-mile (17.4%), 200-mile (9.7%), 1,000-mile (20.2%), and 3,100-mile (18.6%) events. For the ten fastest finishers ever, men were faster than women in 50-mile (17.1%±1.9%), 100-mile (19.2%±1.5%), and 1,000-mile (16.7%±1.6%) events. No correlation existed between sex difference and running speed for the fastest ever (r2=0.0039, P=0.91) and the ten fastest ever (r2=0.15, P=0.74) for all distances. For the annual fastest, the sex difference in running speed decreased linearly in 50-mile events from 14.6% to 8.9%, remained unchanged in 100-mile (18.0%±8.4%) and 1,000-mile (13.7%±9.1%) events, and increased in 3,100-mile events from 12.5% to 16.9%. For the annual ten fastest runners, the performance difference between sexes decreased linearly in 50-mile events from 31.6%±3.6% to 8.9%±1.8% and in 100-mile events from 26.0%±4.4% to 24.7%±0.9%. To summarize, the fastest men were ~17%–20% faster than the fastest women for all distances from 50 miles to 3,100 miles. The linear decrease in sex difference for 50-mile and 100-mile events may suggest that women are reducing the sex gap for these distances.

The two-hour marathon: What's the equivalent for women?

this viewpoint argues that the current world record (WR) in the marathon for women is at least equivalent to a sub-2-h marathon for men. The person who may eventually break the 2-h barrier in the marathon ([19][1]) will be male. Because the fastest men consistently outperform the fastest women in