Gender and Age Differences in Performance of Over 70,000 Chinese Finishers in the Half- and Full-Marathon Events

San-Jun Yang, Fan Yang, Yuan Gao, Yan-Feng Su, Wei Sun, Sheng-Wei Jia, Yu Wang and Wing-Kai Lam
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San-Jun Yang: Department of Physical Education and Research, China University of Mining and Technology—Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Fan Yang: Department of Physical Education and Research, China University of Mining and Technology—Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Yuan Gao: School of Physical Education, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
Yan-Feng Su: School of Physical Education and Coaching, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Wei Sun: School of Physical Education and Coaching, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Sheng-Wei Jia: Li Ning Sports Science Research Center, Li Ning (China) Sports Goods Company Limited, Beijing 101111, China
Yu Wang: School of Kinesiology and Health, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing 100091, China
Wing-Kai Lam: Sports Information and External Affairs Centre, Hong Kong Sports Institute, Sha Tin, Hong Kong

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-9

Abstract: (1) Background: The aim of the present study was to examine the characteristics of over 70,000 long-distance finishers over the last four years in Chinese half- and full-marathon events; (2) Methods: The available data of all finishers ( n = 73,485; women, n = 17,134; men, n = 56,351) who performed half- and full-marathon events in Hangzhou from 2016 to 2019 were further analyzed for the characteristics of gender, age and average running speed; (3) Results: The total men-to-women ratio was the lowest in the half-marathon event (1.86) and the highest in the full-marathon event (17.42). Faster running performance in males than in females and faster average running speed in short-distance runners were shown. Gender and race distance were observed to have the most significant effects on average running speed ( p < 0.01). For both male and female finishers, the slowest running speed was shown in older age groups ( p < 0.01) during the full marathon. Our results indicated that the gender difference in performance was attenuated in the longer race distances and older age groups; (4) Conclusions: Understanding the participation and performances across different running distances would provide insights into physiological and biomechanical characteristics for training protocols and sports gear development in different groups.

Keywords: gender; men-to-women ratio; marathon; age; running speed (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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