Ultramarathon trail running comparison of performance-matched men and women.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether women matched with men for age and performance in a 50-km trail ultramarathon performed differently than the men in 80- and 161-km trail ultramarathons.


METHODS
Race results from 1990 to 2007 were examined to identify finishers of the Way Too Cool 50-km Race, the American River 80-km Race, and the 161-km Western States Endurance Run in the same year. Matching of women with men for age (mean difference = 1 yr) and 50-km finish time (mean absolute variation = 1.5%) yielded 86 unique pairs from which 161-km performances were compared. A subset of 39 pairs allowed for comparison of all three races.


RESULTS
Mean ages of the men and women were 42-44 yr, and mean +/- SD of 50-km running speed was 152 +/- 20 m x min(-1) for both sexes. Mean +/- SD running speeds for the 80-km race (151 +/- 20 and 150 +/- 22 m x min(-1) for the women and men, respectively) and for the 161-km race (102 +/- 13 and 103 +/- 12 m x min(-1) for the women and men, respectively) were not different between the women and men.


CONCLUSIONS
Women and men who are matched for 50-km trail running performance also perform similarly in trail runs of 80- and 161-km distances.
Hoffman
Martin D
MD
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Northern California Health Care System and University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 95655-1200, USA. martin.hoffman@va.gov
D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States