Performance, Training and Lifestyle Parameters of Marathon Runners Aged 20–80 Years: Results of the PACE-study

Abstract

Successful finishing of marathon requires regular endurance training and appropriate lifestyle. Thus, marathon running times and training data from large samples of physically active and fit elderly are ideal for the assessment of age-related performance. In the present study we analyzed 439 278 running times from result lists of 108 marathon competitions and data from a survey via internet questionnaire about training and behavioural factors of marathon finishers. Marathon times and 6 992 data sets from the internet questionnaire were separated into groups based on age and sex and analyzed by two-way ANOVA. Our main findings are that 1) there are virtually no relevant running time differences (p<0.01) in marathon finishers from 20 to 55 years and 2) the majority of middle-aged and elderly athletes have training histories of less than seven years of running. With the exception of marathon running times we did not encounter any significant gender related differences (p>0.01). The present findings strengthen the concept that considers aging as a biological process that can be considerably speeded up or slowed down by multiple lifestyle related factors.

Key words

aging - gender - lifestyle - training - endurance

References

• 1 Bemben MG. Age-related alterations in muscular endurance.  Sports Med. 1998;  25 259-269
• 2 Chakravarty EF, Hubert HB, Lingala VB, Fries JF. Reduced disability and mortality among aging runners: a 21-year longitudinal study.  Arch Intern Med. 2008;  168 1638-1646
• 3 Clarkson PM. Exertional rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure in marathon runners.  Sports Med. 2007;  37 361-363
• 4 Evans EM, Racette SB, Peterson LR, Villareal DT, Greiw JS, Holloszy JO. Aerobic power and insulin action improve in response to endurance exercise in healthy 77–87 yr olds.  J Appl Physiol. 2005;  98 40-45
• 5 Fiatarone MA, Marks EC, Ryan ND, Meredith CN, Lipsitz LA, Evans WJ. High-intensity strength training in nonagenarians.  JAMA. 1990;  263 3029-3034
• 6 Fitzgerald MD, Tanaka H, Tran ZV, Seals DR. Age-related declines in maximal aerobic capacity in regularly exercising vs. sedentary women: a meta-analysis.  J Appl Physiol. 1997;  83 160-165
• 7 Fleg JL, Lakatta EG. Role of muscle loss in the age-associated reduction in VO2max.  J Appl Physiol. 1988;  65 1147-1151
• 8 Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, Johnson CL. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999–2000.  JAMA. 2002;  288 1723-1727
• 9 Fuchi T, Iwaoka K, Higuchi M, Kobayashiki S. Cardiovascular changes associated with decreased aerobic capacity and aging in long-distance runners.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1989;  58 2041-2046
• 10 Gass GC, Gass EM. Is exercise the “wonder drug” for older individuals?.  Eur Rev Aging Phys Act. 2004;  1 4-17
• 11 Hagberg JM. Effect of training on the decline of VO2max with aging.  Fed Proc. 1987;  46 1830-1833
• 12 Heath G, Hagberg J, Ehsani A, Hollszy J. A physiological comparison of young and older endurance athletes.  J Appl Physiol. 1981;  51 634-640
• 13 Hodgson JL, Buskirk ER. Physical fitness and age, with emphasis on cardiovascular function in the elderly.  J Am Geriatr Soc. 1977;  25 385-392
• 14 Hollmann W, Strüder HK. The biological basis of physical performance and trainability of the different motor demands in the elderly.  Eur Rev Aging Phys Act. 2004;  1 35-48
• 15 Jackson AS, Beard EF, Wier LT, Ross RM, Stuteville JE, Blair SN. Changes in aerobic power of men, ages 25–70 yr.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995;  27 113-120
• 16 Kasch FW, Wallace JP, Camp SP Van, Verity L. A longitudinal study of cardiovascular stability in active men aged 45 to 65 years.  Physician Sports Med. 1988;  16 117-124
• 17 Klitgaard H, Mantoni M, Schiaffino S, Ansoni S, Gorda L, Laurent-Winter C, Secher N, Saltin B. Function, morphology and protein expression of ageing skeletal muscle: A cross-sectional study of elderly men with different training backgrounds.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1990;  140 41-54
• 18 Leyk D, Rohde U, Gorges W, Ridder D, Wunderlich M, Dinklage C, Sievert A, Rüther T, Essfeld D. Physical performance, body weight and BMI of young adults in Germany 2000–2004: Results of the Physical-Fitness-Test Study.  Int J Sports Med. 2006;  8 642-647
• 19 Leyk D, Erley O, Ridder D, Leurs M, Rüther T, Wunderlich M, Sievert A, Baum K, Essfeld D. Age related changes in marathon and half-marathon performances.  Int J Sports Med. 2007;  28 513-517
• 20 Leyk D, Erley O, Gorges W, Ridder D, Wunderlich M, Rüther T, Sievert A, Essfeld D, Baum K. Körperliche Leistungsfähigkeit und Trainierbarkeit im mittleren und höheren Lebensalter.  Wehrmed Mschr. 2007;  51 148-152
• 21 Leyk D, Rüther T, Wunderlich M, Sievert AP, Erley OM, Löllgen H. Utilization and implementation of sports medical screening examinations – Survey of more than 10 000 long-distance runners.  Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2008;  105 609-614
• 22 Leyk D, Wunderlich M, Rösch H, Lackmann S, Sievert AP, Rüther T. Der Marathon als leistungsphysiologisches und präventivmedizinisches Untersuchungsmodell. 10-Jahres-Analysen des Ford-Köln-Marathon – ein Beitrag aus der PACE-Studie.  , Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung 2008;  3 253-258 , , Internet – doi:10.1007/s11553-008-0138-9
• 23 Leyk D, Rüther T, Wunderlich M, Heiß A, Küchmeister G, Piekarski C, Löllgen H. Sport activity, prevalence of overweight, and risk factors – Cross-sectional study of over 12 000 persons aged 16 to 25 years.  Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2008;  793-800 , Internet – doi 10.3238/arztebl.2008
• 24 Maharam LG, Bauman PA, Kalman D, Skolik H, Perle SM. Masters athletes. Factors affecting performance.  Sports Med. 1999;  28 273-285
• 25 Marti B, Howald H. Long-term effects of physical training on aerobic capacity: controlled study of former elite athletes.  J Appl Physiol. 1990;  69 1451-1459
• 26 Mikrozensus 2003 . Leben und Arbeiten in Deutschland. Ergebnisse des Mikrozensus 2003. Wiesbaden: Statistisches Bundesamt 2004
• 27 Murray LA, Reilly JJ, Choudhry M, Durnin JV. A longitudinal study of changes in body composition and basal metabolism in physically active elderly men.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1996;  72 215-218
• 28 Mokdad AH, Bowman BA, Ford ES, Vinicor F, Marks JS, Koplan JP. The continuing epidemics of obesity and diabetes in the United States.  JAMA. 2001;  286 1195-1200
• 29 Nair KS. Aging muscle.  Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;  81 953-963
• 30 Neilan TG, Januzzi JL, Lee-Lewandrowski E, Ton-Nu TT, Yoerger DM, Jassal DS, Lewandrowski KB, Siegel AJ, Marshall JE, Douglas PS, Lawlor D, Picard MH, Wood MJ. Myocardial injury and ventricular dysfunction related to training levels among nonelite participants in the Boston Marathon.  Circulation. 2006;  114 2325-2333
• 31 Nieman DC. Marathon training and immune function.  Sports Med. 2007;  37 412-415
• 32 Pimentel AE, Gentile SL, Tanaka H, Seals DR, Gates PE. Greater rate of decline in maximal aerobic capacity with age in endurance-trained than in sedentary men.  J Appl Physiol. 2003;  94 2406-2413
• 33 Rivera AM, Pels III AE, Sady SP, Sady MA, Cullinane EM, Thompson PD. Physiological factors associated with the lower maximal oxygen consumption of master runners.  J Appl Physiol. 1989;  66 949-954
• 34 Reeves ND, Narici MV, Maganaris CN. Effect of resistance training on skeletal muscle-specific force in elderly humans.  J Appl Physiol. 2004;  96 885-892
• 35 Satterthwaite P, Norton R, Larmer P, Robinson E. Risk factors for injuries and other health problems sustained in a marathon.  Br J Sports Med. 1999;  33 33-26
• 36 Sjödin B, Svedenhag J. Applied physiology of marathon running.  Sports Med. 1985;  2 83-99
• 37 Stathokostas L, Jacob-Johnson S, Petrella RJ, Paterson DH. Longitudinal changes in aerobic power in older men and women.  J Appl Physiol. 2004;  97 784-789
• 38 Sturm R, Ringle J, Andreyeva T. Increasing obesity rates and disability trends.  Health Affairs. 2004;  23 1-7
• 39 Taylor AH, Cable NT, Faulkner G, Hillsdon M, Narici M, Bij AK van der. Physical activity and older adults: a review of health benefits and the effectiveness of interventions.  J Sports Sci. 2004;  22 703-725
• 40 Warburton DER, Welsh RC, Haykowsky MJ, Taylor DA, Humen DP. Biochemical changes as a result of prolonged strenuous exercise.  Br J Sports Med. 2002;  36 301-303
• 41 Whyte G, George K, Shave R, Dawson E, Stephenson C, Edwards B, Gaze D, Oxborough D, Forster J, Simpson R. Impact of marathon running on cardiac structure and function in recreational runners.  Clin Sci (Lond). 2005;  108 73-80
• 42 Williams PT, Pate RR. Cross-sectional relationships of exercise and age to adiposity in 60617 male runners.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005;  37 1329-1337
• 43 World Health Organisation .Obesity Preventing and managing the global epidemic.  In: Report of a WHO Consultation. 2000 I–xii: 1-253
• 44 Zimmet P, Alberti KGMM, Shaw J. Global and societal implications of the diabetes epidemic.  Nature. 2001;  414 782-787

Correspondence