Percentage Decline in Masters Superathlete Track and Field Performance With Aging

Abstract

Masters athletic records in track and field events, published in September 1999, were analyzed to evaluate the percentage decline in maximum physiological performance with increasing age. Records were normalized using the 30s age records as the baseline and studied through to the 90s age range. Track running records declined with age in a curvilinear fashion [y = 1-exp((T-T0)/tau)] whereas the walking and field events declined in a linear manner [y = alpha (T-T'0)]. There were significant differences in the rates of percentage decline in the running events over various distances for both males and females, and significant differences between males and females. Decline with aging was greater for females, and for the longer or endurance running events. There were no differences in the rates of declining function for any of the walking events, and the only jumping event to show a significant difference was the high jump performance, which showed the slowest decline. The walking events declined more slowly than the running events, which declined more slowly than the jumping events. Because of the changes in the weights, heights, and distances at different ages, for both males and females, it was not possible to directly compare rates of decline in the various throwing and hurdling events. The strength-dependent throwing events and the pole vault showed the greatest rates of decline with age. In general terms, men's performance declined to 75% of peak performance in sprint events by the early 70s, in the longer track distances by mid to late 60s, and in field events by mid to late 50s. Women's performance declined to a similar extent by their mid 60s in track events, and by late 40s to early 50s in field events. Some of these differences may be due to differences in training effort and/or other competitive aspects, such as the numbers of athletes involved in the sport, and such differences may be reduced in the future with a more professional approach to these events.

Age-Related Decline in Olympic Triathlon Performance: Effect of Locomotion Mode

“…The decline in performance is assessed by calculating a ratio between the best individual performance of the total population and the performance of each age group according to the methodology proposed by Baker et al (2003). The best individual time in overall triathlon and for each locomotion mode was used to normalize the performance.…”

“…The model used by Baker et al (2003) not only represents the best fit of the observed values for the overall performance (Figure 2), but also for each mode of locomotion.…”

“…In the marathon, for example, the performance of masters has significantly improved, with 70-year-old athletes running it in less than 3 h (e.g., Trappe, 2007). Since the early work of Hill (1925), the study of the performance record has often been used in the literature to study the mechanisms of physiological adaptation, and more recently the impact of the aging process on these mechanisms (Baker, Tang, & Turner, 2003;Balmer, Bird, & Davison, 2008;Wright & Perricelli, 2008). They have shown a small decline in performance between 30 and 50 years, followed by a more pronounced decline in performance from 50 to 60 years and a significant alteration from 70 years.…”

“…On the one hand, for athletic events (including races, jumping, throwing, and walking), several authors have compared different mathematical models to describe the relationship between age and performance (Baker et al, 2003;Moore, 1975;Stones & Kozma, 1986;. In this context, Baker et al (2003) have normalized the best performance for each age group, with the best performance of athletes below 30 years. The decline is represented by a ratio that decreases exponentially [Y ¼ 1 À exp(T À T 0 )=s] for running and linearly [Y ¼ a(T À T 0 )] for jumping or walking.…”

Age-related changes in 100-km ultra-marathon running performance

“…Generally, the peak endurance performance is maintained until the age of 30 to 35 years, followed by a moderate decrease until the age of 50 to 60 years and then a progressively steeper decline after the age of 70 to 75 years, independent of the distance and the discipline (Baker et al 2003;Balmer et al 2008;Donato et al 2003;Fleg and Lakatta 1988;Fuchi et al 1989;Hunter et al 2011;Leyk et al 2007Leyk et al , 2009Seals 2003, 2008;Wright and Perricelli 2008). Even if it is possible for a 70-year-old male athlete to finish a marathon in less than 3 h (Trappe 2007), the gradient in declining performances increased notably after the age of 55 years for both sexes, and female performances tended to decline faster than those of males, especially in running (Ransdell et al 2009).…”