Running speed during training and percent body fat predict race time in recreational male marathoners

Abstract

BackgroundRecent studies have shown that personal best marathon time is a strong predictor of race time in male ultramarathoners. We aimed to determine variables predictive of marathon race time in recreational male marathoners by using the same characteristics of anthropometry and training as used for ultramarathoners.MethodsAnthropometric and training characteristics of 126 recreational male marathoners were bivariately and multivariately related to marathon race times.ResultsAfter multivariate regression, running speed of the training units (β = −0.52, P < 0.0001) and percent body fat (β = 0.27, P < 0.0001) were the two variables most strongly correlated with marathon race times. Marathon race time for recreational male runners may be estimated to some extent by using the following equation (r2 = 0.44): race time ( minutes) = 326.3 + 2.394 × (percent body fat, %) − 12.06 × (speed in training, km/hours). Running speed during training sessions correlated with prerace percent body fat (r = 0.33, P = 0.0002). The model including anthropometric and training variables explained 44% of the variance of marathon race times, whereas running speed during training sessions alone explained 40%. Thus, training speed was more predictive of marathon performance times than anthropometric characteristics.ConclusionThe present results suggest that low body fat and running speed during training close to race pace (about 11 km/hour) are two key factors for a fast marathon race time in recreational male marathoner runners.

A Comparison of Anthropometric and Training Characteristics between Female and Male Half-Marathoners and the Relationship to Race Time

“…Also, for recreational marathoners, men showed the same predictor variables for the race time including body fat ( β =0.504) and running speed during training sessions ( β =-0.57) [41] . For recreational female marathoners, however, the circumference of calf ( r =-0.41, P =0.02) and running speed during training sessions ( r =-0.60, P =0.0005) were positively associated with marathon race times in the multi-variate analysis [29] .…”

“…In recreational male marathoners, race time correlated to body fat percentage and running speed during training sessions [41] . Marathon race time was faster when body fat was lower and running speed during training was higher.…”

Marathon performance in relation to body fat percentage and training indices in recreational male runners

“…Both studies recognized mean training speed or pace as the best predictor of marathon performance time. It should be noted that other training indices, such as mean distance per workout, maximum distance run per week, number of workouts per week, and number or previous marathons run, were not found to be predictive of marathon performance time 7,8…”

“…The increasing number of recreational runners participating in major running events, including the marathons held in New York, Chicago, London, and Berlin, suggested a need to develop analyses that relate race performance to variables easily detected or self-monitored, like training characteristics. Several studies in the last 30 years have shown that a combination of physiological, anthropometric, and training characteristics can predict performance in long-distance running 2–8…”

<i>Cornu cervi pantotrichum</i> supplementation improves physiological adaptions during intensive endurance training

“…During practice training for a marathon, the athletes received highly intensive training recipes to improve their aerobic and anaerobic thresholds during their preparation and for a specific period of time. Their extremely low fat percentage, commonly found in long-distance runners or endurance athletes, could be an important factor for the prediction of their marathon race time [28] and correlates to their performance [2]. However, excessive sports activity can be deleterious to the young female population, because of their lower BMI and menstrual irregularity [7].…”