COLD WEATHER BEST FOR MARATHON PERFORMANCE
Every runner knows that cool weather is better than hot weather for marathon performance. But a recent study from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine suggests that relatively cold weather is better than merely cool weather.
Researchers gathered many years' worth of results and weather data from six major North American marathons and performed stastical analyses to determine the effect of air temperature on finishing times among runners at various levels of performance. Specifically, they looked at year-to-year comparative finishing times of the top three male and female runners at each event, as well as the 25th, 50th, 100th, and 300th finishers.
The results showed a clear trend toward faster times at colder temperatures. For example, the finishing times of male races winners were, on average, 1.7% slower than the course record when the air temperature was between 34 and 50 degrees. The finishing times of the top male runners were 2.5% slower than the course record, however, when the temperature was between 51 and 59 degrees. And at higher temperatures, finishing times fell off even more dramatically.
Runners at all levels were slowed by warmer air, but higher temperatures had a smaller effect on faster runners. The ideal marathon temperature, according to these analyses, was a bone-chilling 41 degrees. Think about that when you sign up for your next marathon! |
