title: Runners in their forties dominate ultra-marathons from 50 to 3,100 miles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated performance trends and the age of peak running speed in ultra-marathons from 50 to 3,100 miles.
  
  
  METHODS
  The running speed and age of the fastest competitors in 50-, 100-, 200-, 1,000- and 3,100-mile events held worldwide from 1971 to 2012 were analyzed using single- and multi-level regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of events and competitors increased exponentially in 50- and 100-mile events. For the annual fastest runners, women improved in 50-mile events, but not men. In 100-mile events, both women and men improved their performance. In 1,000-mile events, men became slower. For the annual top ten runners, women improved in 50- and 100-mile events, whereas the performance of men remained unchanged in 50- and 3,100-mile events but improved in 100-mile events. The age of the annual fastest runners was approximately 35 years for both women and men in 50-mile events and approximately 35 years for women in 100-mile events. For men, the age of the annual fastest runners in 100-mile events was higher at 38 years. For the annual fastest runners of 1,000-mile events, the women were approximately 43 years of age, whereas for men, the age increased to 48 years of age. For the annual fastest runners of 3,100-mile events, the age in women decreased to 35 years and was approximately 39 years in men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The running speed of the fastest competitors increased for both women and men in 100-mile events but only for women in 50-mile events. The age of peak running speed increased in men with increasing race distance to approximately 45 years in 1,000-mile events, whereas it decreased to approximately 39 years in 3,100-mile events. In women, the upper age of peak running speed increased to approximately 51 years in 3,100-mile events.
authors.affiliation: University of Zurich, Institute of General Practice and for Health Services Research, Zurich, Switzerland, University of Zurich, Institute of General Practice and for Health Services Research, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias Alexander
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zingg
authors.affiliation: University of Zurich, Institute of General Practice and for Health Services Research, Zurich, Switzerland, University of Zurich, Institute of General Practice and for Health Services Research, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christoph Alexander
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Rüst
authors.affiliation: University of Zurich, Institute of General Practice and for Health Services Research, Zurich, Switzerland, University of Zurich, Institute of General Practice and for Health Services Research, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rosemann
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Burgundy, INSERM U1093, Dijon, France, University of Burgundy, Faculty of Sport Sciences, INSERM U1093, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Romuald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lepers
authors.affiliation: Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland, Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Beat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Knechtle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult