New York City Marathon Research Articles

Participation Rates Of Female And Male Runners Predict Marathon Performance

Males are ~11% faster than females in marathon running at the elite level, largely due to sex differences in physiology. This sex difference in performance, however, is often greater than 11% especially in older runners with lower proportion of female runners. PURPOSE: To determine whether the sex difference in marathon performance is predicted by the number of male to female runners and how this prediction changes among lower placed runners within an age group. METHODS: The number of male and female finishers within 10-year age groups (20 - 79 years) and the running times of the top 10 age group runners who competed in the Chicago marathon (1996-2018) and New York City (NYC) marathon (1980-2019) were retrieved from public databases. Univariate ANOVA and correlation analysis determined differences and associations between the ratios of male:female finishers and the sex difference in velocity. RESULTS: The ratio of male:female runners increased with older age groups (p < 0.001) and place of the runner from 1st to 10th place (p < 0.001) for both marathons. Males were faster than females across all age groups for the Chicago (17.4% ± 0.2%) and NYC marathon (18.8% ± 0.1%). The sex difference, however, was smallest for 1st placed runners and largest for the 10th placed for Chicago (14.8 ± 0.5% to 18.5 ± 0.4%) and NYC (15.9 ± 0.4% to 20.3 ± 0.3%). The ratio of the number of males:females was correlated with the sex difference in velocity (%) for Chicago (n = 2325, r2 = 0.28, p < 0.001) and NYC (n = 4223, r2 = 0.32, p < 0.001) in that fewer females relative to males indicated a larger sex difference in velocity. The strength of the associations progressively increased between 1st and 10th place. Combined for both marathons, the association for 1st place was r2 = 0.20 (p < 0.001, n = 709) and 10th place was r2 = 0.38 (p < 0.001, n = 614). Thus, the number of males:females explained 20% of the variance in the sex differences in velocity of 1st placed runners but 38% of the sex difference in 10th placed runners. CONCLUSION: Lower participation rates of females in the marathon potentially masks an accurate understanding of the contribution of physiological sex differences, especially in lower ranked and older runners. This data provides a window into the impact of the inequity of testing less females than males in studies of human performance.

Sex Differences In Marathon Performance Are Larger In The Past Decade Than Expected Physiologically

The sex difference in performance of marathon runners historically has been larger than explained by physiological differences, possibly reflecting lower participation of females (1). The number of female participants across all age groups has increased in recent decades, but it is unclear if the sex difference in performance has continued to diminish. PURPOSE: To determine the sex difference in performance in the New York City (NYC) marathon across age groups, and with the place of runner (1st-10th place), in the past decade and relative to earlier published data (1980-2010) (1). METHODS: Running times of the top 10 placed male and female finishers (5-year age groups) who competed in the NYC marathon (2009-2019) were retrieved from a public database (https://results.nyrr.org/races). Univariate ANOVA determined the sex difference in the mean running velocity; (% Δ males and females/males) across age groups and place. RESULTS: The sex difference in running velocity increased across age groups (p < 0.001). For 2015-2019, the 30-39-year olds had the smallest difference (12.9 ± 0.5%) and the 70-79 year olds the largest (22.9 ± 0.9%). Across all age groups, the sex difference in running velocity decreased across years from 22.0 ± 0.4% in 1980-84 to 16.1 ± 0.2% in 2005-2009 and plateaued for the subsequent decade. The largest drop was in the two older age groups (60-79 years, 36% to 21%) and the least for youngest (20-49 years, 18% to 12.5%). Across all age groups, the sex difference in running velocity for 1st placed runners was 15.9 ± 0.4 % and increased to 20.3 ± 0.3% for 10th (P < 0.001). The greatest increase in the sex difference (1st to 10th) was in the 70-79 age group (21.9 ± 1.5% to 31.6 ± 1.7%) and the least in the 40-49 age group (13.9 ± 0.6% to 17.8 ± 0.4%). CONCLUSION: The largest sex differences in marathon performance were within the older age groups and lower (slower)-placed runners. Across all age groups, the sex difference in performance plateaued in the past 15 years despite more female participants and the continued decrease in male:female participation ratios. These results also suggest that physiological and sociological factors that impact the sex difference in running velocity vary by age group. (1) Hunter SK, et al Med Sci Sports Exerc 45: 148-156, 2013.