Best age to run a marathon

Researchers at the University of Madrid, Spain looked at and analyzed the finishing times of 45,000 runners at the 2014 New York Marathon to find the best age to run a marathon for both men and women.

The team looked at the top 10 male and female runners between the ages of 18 and 75. They found that marathon performance declines in a straight line after age 30. Although performance declines after age 30, the line resembles a bell curve, with a slight decline at first and then a steeper decline after age 55.

The “golden” age for marathon running is 27 for men and 29 for women. Marathon running times slow down 4% each year at this age for both men and women, and slow down 2% each year after that age for both men and women. So, the average 27-year-old male runner who runs a 3:30 marathon will run 3:34:12 the following year. Meanwhile, a female runner who runs a 3:00 marathon at age 29 will run 3:2:36 the following year.

Runner Tommy Hughes encourages his son Eoin after finishing the Frankfurt Marathon on October 27, 2019. Photo: Derry Now

Interestingly and somewhat surprisingly, the study found that 18-year-old runners had similar running times to runners in their 60s. This result can be explained in part by the fact that 60-year-old runners have more experience over the 42.195 km distance.

The researchers used the example of Tommy Hughes, a Northern Irish runner who, at age 59, ran 2 hours 27 minutes 52 seconds at the Frankfurt Marathon on October 27, 2019. He finished four minutes ahead of his 34-year-old son Eoin, who clocked 2 hours 31 minutes 30 seconds. Tommy and Eoin's combined time of 4 hours 59 minutes 22 seconds is the Guinness World Record for the fastest father-son marathon.

VO2 Max is also related to differences in running performance at different ages. VO2 Max is an index that shows the ability to use and metabolize oxygen during exercise. VO2 Max is calculated in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). Normally, the more oxygen the body uses - absorbs and metabolizes - the more energy the muscles will have to move. Therefore, VO2 Max is often used to reflect physical strength and endurance.

After Valencia, Tommy and his son Eoin underwent a variety of physiological tests, including a VO2 Max test. The results showed that father and son had very similar VO2 Max scores, with Tommy at 65.4 and Eoin at 66.9. This seemed to allow Tommy to run the entire 42.195km distance close to his VO2 Max.

The same goes for Gene Dykes, who ran a marathon in 2 hours, 54 minutes, and 23 seconds in 2018 at the age of 70. This means that Gene Dykes ran the entire 42.195 km at 95% VO2 Max.

Gene Dykes runs with Jeannie Rice in a race in January 2021. Photo: Runners' World

Older runners can still do well in marathons because they can run near their VO2 Max for a long time. Another reason, according to a study published in the US National Library of Medicine, is that consistent exercise can counteract the decline in VO2 Max. This means that if you run for decades, your VO2 Max won't decline at the same rate as your peers.

This is an interesting finding. Previously, a runner’s VO2 max was thought to decline from age 70. But new research shows that even as you age, you can still maintain good stamina and fitness.

But this is just one study of a single marathon. People who start running later, train hard and persevere, can still run their fastest marathons in their 30s, 40s, 50s or 60s. For example, Jo Schoonbroodt, a 71-year-old Belgian runner, just set a world record for over-70s runners with a time of 2 hours 54 minutes 19 seconds at the Maasmarathon of Vise. From Schoonbroodt's example, Runner's World concludes, "Your best, healthiest years are still ahead of you."

Hong Duy (according to Runners' World )

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/do-tuoi-tot-nhat-de-chay-marathon-4680605.html