Pacing strategies by age in marathon cross-country skiing

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Pacing strategies have mainly been investigated for runners, but little is known for cross-country skiers. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether differences in pacing strategies do exist between younger and older cross-country skiers competing in the 42 km ‘Engadin Ski Marathon’.

Methods: Pacing was studied in 105,565 cross-country skiers (classified in 5-year age groups) competing between 1998 and 2016 in this race by examining changes of mean section velocity in 10 km (Change A, i.e. 100×(velocity in the 10-20 km section – velocity in the 0-10 km section)/velocity in the 0-10 km section), 20 km (Change B) and 35 km (Change C).

Results: A small sex×distance (i.e. Change A versus Change B versus Change C) interaction on change of velocity was shown (P < .001, η² = 0.016), with women showing a less even pacing than men. In women, there was a trivial main effect of age group on Change A (P < .001, η² = 0.008) with a smaller decrease in velocity in age group <20 (−7.4%) and larger decrease in velocity in age group 75–79 (−12.8%), and Change B (P = .006, η² = 0.004) with smaller increase in velocity in age group 75–79 (+30.6%) and larger increase in velocity in age group 40–44 (+37.7%), but not on Change C (P = .784, η² = 0.003). In men, a small main effect of age group on Change A was shown (P < .001, η² = 0.019), with a smaller decrease of velocity in age group <20 (−3.5%) and larger in age group 70–74 (−10.5%). Trivial main effects of age group on Change B (P < .001, η² = .002), with a smaller increase of velocity in age group 85–89 (+25.8%) and larger increase in age group 70–74 (+33.0%), and Change C (P < .001, η² = 0.003), with smaller decrease of velocity in age group 85–89 (−38.2%) and larger decrease in age group 80–84 (−41.0%), were found.

Conclusions: Based on these findings, it was concluded that men and young cross-country skiers had a more even pacing than women and older cross-country skiers, which was in contrast with previous findings in other endurance sports, suggesting that the sex- and age-related differences in pacing might be sport-dependent.

KEYWORDS:

• Aging
• endurance
• master athlete
• sex difference
• winter sport

Declaration of financial/other interests

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

None.