The Relationship between Age and Optimal Performance of Elite Athletes in Endurance Running Events

Abstract

Numerous investigators (Bottiger, 1971, 1973; Hartley & Hartley, 1984; Moore, 1975; Stones & Kozma, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986) have shown in cross-sectional studies that performance in endurance events peaks in the late twenties or early thirties for both men and women and then deteriorates gradually. The analyses presented in the literature primarily used world or national best times to study the relationships among performances across different distances within certain sports as well as to assess the similarity in such relationships across sports. Mention was made of using these data to assess the limits of human performance at various ages, but such applications were not found. Also, it has been implied in the literature that a study of record performances might supply otherwise unavailable data to those investigating the effects of age on performance. Ideally, longtitudinal data would be used, but appropriate data on elite runners who maintain equivalent training and desire over the years and are followed throughout life are not available. Therefore, cross-sectional data must be considered. The purpose of this investigation was to propose and substantiate a method to determine the changes in maximum performance with age, given current training methods and knowledge. The technique and the information obtained could be used in other studies to help predict changes in performance with age and to understand the effects of physiological variables on performance. Investigators have previously addressed this issue using least squares regression. This paper proposes the use of frontier analysis for this purpose.

Key Words:

• aging
• performance
• elite athletes
• endurance running