A Comparison of Anthropometric and Training Characteristics between Recreational Female Marathoners and Recreational Female Ironman Triathletes

Abstract

A personal best marathon time has been reported as a strong predictor variable for an Ironman race time in recreational female Ironman triathletes. This raises the question whether recreational female Ironman triathletes are similar to recreational female marathoners. We investigated similarities and differences in anthropometry and training between 53 recreational female Ironman triathletes and 46 recreational female marathoners. The association of anthropometric variables and training characteristics with race time was investigated using bi- and multi-variate analysis. The Ironman triathletes were younger (P < 0.01), had a lower skin-fold thickness at pectoral (P < 0.001), axillar (P < 0.01), and subscapular (P < 0.05) site, but a thicker skin-fold thickness at the calf site (P < 0.01) compared to the marathoners. Overall weekly training hours were higher in the Ironman triathletes (P < 0.001). The triathletes were running faster during training than the marathoners (P < 0.05). For the triathletes, neither an anthropometric nor a training variable showed an association with overall Ironman race time after bi-variate analysis. In the multi-variate analysis, running speed during training was related to marathon split time for the Ironman triathletes (P = 0.01) and to marathon race time for the marathoners (P = 0.01). To conclude, although personal best marathon time is a strong predictor variable for performance in recreational female Ironman triathletes, there are differences in both anthropometry and training between recreational female Ironman triathletes and recreational female marathoners and different predictor variables for race performance in these two groups of athletes. These findings suggest that recreational female Ironman triathletes are not comparable to recreational female marathoners regarding the association between anthropometric and training characteristics with race time.

Características antropométricas y funcionales de corredores colombianos de élite de larga distancia

“…Mundialmente, el atletismo es una de las disciplinas deportivas más destacadas, para la cual se han hecho diferentes mediciones antropométricas y morfológi-cas (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10). Al comparar los resultados de este estudio con los de corredores de mediofondo españoles de nivel nacional o internacional (10), se puede afirmar que el promedio de peso corporal, porcentaje graso y porcentaje muscular fueron superiores a los reportados en este estudio.…”

“…Varios trabajos han demostrado que dichas características están relacionadas considerablemente con el rendimiento de los corredores (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Asimismo, se ha informado que las adaptaciones fisiológicas y el rendimiento deportivo de atletas de élite son influenciados por el perfil cineantropométrico (6,7). Por ejemplo, los resultados de Landers y colaboradores (8) indicaron que la longitud de las extremidades inferiores y los bajos niveles de grasa corporal se asociaron con el tiempo de registro en atletas de élite.…”

Sex difference in top performers from Ironman to double deca iron ultra-triathlon

“…Limitations of this study are that aspects such as training of the subjects,63,64 previous experience,63 anthropometric characteristics,36,64 age,34,65,66 nutrition,67 pacing strategy,68 nationality,69,70 and environmental conditions71 were not considered. These characteristics might have had an influence on the performance of the athletes.…”

Differences in Participation and Performance Trends in Age Group Half and Full Marathoners

“…Marathoners completing more training kilometres were faster at the race (11,12,14,34). The running speed during training was related to race time for recreational half marathoners and recreational full marathoners (28,35). Professional long-distance runners were older, lighter and smaller compared to finishers at middle and short distances (1).…”