Men crash more in marathon race pacing than women: Study

Women are superior to men when it comes to marathon race pacing, a study suggests, adding that this gives women athletes better decision-making abilities than men.

The study, led by Robert Deaner, an associate professor of psychology at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, was based on 14 marathons that occurred in the US in 2011.

On average, men ran the second half of the marathon 15.6 percent slower than the first half, whereas women slowed by an average of 11.7 percent.

"The sex difference was especially clear when considering runners who slowed by 30 percent or more - men were about three times as likely as women to experience such dramatic slowing," Deaner said.

"One can certainly look at this as a 'tortoise and hare' type of situation," he added.

Researchers reasoned that decision making could be important for recreational runners.

Some have little knowledge about the demands of the marathon or their own capabilities, so it can be very easy to begin the early miles with an aggressive, unsustainable pace.

"We anticipated that men would be more likely to do this and, consequently, they would be more likely to crash in the second half of the race," Deaner maintained.

According to Sandra Hunter, a professor of exercise science at Marquette University in Milwaukee, "Women typically use more fat and less carbohydrate during endurance exercise. This should make them less likely to 'hit the wall' because they are less likely to have their muscles depleted of glycogen."

The findings may go a long way in helping runners achieve better performances and enjoy racing more.

"Men are crashing more frequently and that certainly is not desirable. But I think it is premature to conclude that women are superior pacers," Deaner noted.

The findings were published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.