https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm.34704

Predictor Variables for Marathon Race Time in Recreational Female Runners

authors:

avatar Wiebke Schmid 1 , avatar Beat Knechtle ORCID 2 , * , avatar Patrizia Knechtle 1 , avatar Ursula Barandun 1 , avatar Christoph Alexander Rst 2 , avatar Thomas Rosemann 2 , avatar Romuald Lepers 3

Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
INSERM U887, University of Undy, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Dijon, France
Asian Journal of Sports Medicine: Vol.3, issue 2; 90-98
published online: May 31, 2012
article type: Research Article
received: October 31, 2011
accepted: December 28, 2011

how to cite: Schmid W, Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Barandun U, Rst C A, et al. Predictor Variables for Marathon Race Time in Recreational Female Runners. Asian J Sports Med. 2012;3(2):34704. https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm.34704.

Abstract

Purpose:

We intended to determine predictor variables of anthropometry and training for marathon race time in recreational female runners in order to predict marathon race time for future novice female runners.

Methods:

Anthropometric characteristics such as body mass, body height, body mass index, circumferences of limbs, thicknesses of skin-folds and body fat as well as training variables such as volume and speed in running training were related to marathon race time using bi- and multi-variate analysis in 29 female runners.

Results:

The marathoners completed the marathon distance within 251 (26) min, running at a speed of 10.2 (1.1) km/h. Body mass (r=0.37), body mass index (r=0.46), the circumferences of thigh (r=0.51) and calf (r=0.41), the skin-fold thicknesses of front thigh (r=0.38) and of medial calf (r=0.40), the sum of eight skin-folds (r=0.44) and body fat percentage (r=0.41) were related to marathon race time. For the variables of training, maximal distance ran per week (r=? 0.38), number of running training sessions per week (r=? 0.46) and the speed of the training sessions (r= ? 0.60) were related to marathon race time. In the multi-variate analysis, the circumference of calf (P=0.02) and the speed of the training sessions (P=0.0014) were related to marathon race time. Marathon race time might be partially (r 2=0.50) predicted by the following equation: Race time (min)=184.4 + 5.0 x (circumference calf, cm) 11.9 x (speed in running during training, km/h) for recreational female marathoners.

Conclusions:

Variables of both anthropometry and training were related to marathon race time in recreational female marathoners and cannot be reduced to one single predictor variable. For practical applications, a low circumference of calf and a high running speed in training are associated with a fast marathon race time in recreational female runners.

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