title: The age of the best ultramarathon performance - the case of the "Comrades Marathon".
abstract: The 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.
authors.affiliation: a Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen , St. Gallen , Switzerland.|b Institute of Primary Care , University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Beat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Knechtle
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physical and Cultural Education , Hellenic Army Academy , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Pantelis Theodoros
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Nikolaidis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Comrades Marathon; South Africa; athlete; peak age; running; ultramarathon