Marathon Specialization in Elites: A Head Start for Africans

To assess differences in event-specific specialization between elite African and non-African male marathon runners based on age, performance, and career length. The top 90 African marathoners from 2001 to 2015 were compared with the top 90 non-African marathoners from the same time period across var...

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Published in:International journal of sports physiology and performance 2018-01, Vol.13 (1), p.102-106
Main Authors: Noble, Tyler J, Chapman, Robert F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerobics
Marathons
Specialization
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description To assess differences in event-specific specialization between elite African and non-African male marathon runners based on age, performance, and career length. The top 90 African marathoners from 2001 to 2015 were compared with the top 90 non-African marathoners from the same time period across various markers related to specialization age, performance, and career length. Independent t tests were used to identify significant differences (P 
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There was no significant difference in the number of career marathons run between groups, but African marathoners were found to race more frequently than non-African marathoners (P &lt; .001). Half-marathon performance was positively correlated with marathon performance (r  = .67). Marathon athletes who specialized at early ages experienced significantly higher rates of improvement than those who specialized at older ages. (P &lt; .05). The findings suggest that elite African marathoners achieve a greater level of performance at younger ages than their non-African counterparts. 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subjects Aerobics
Marathons
Specialization
title Marathon Specialization in Elites: A Head Start for Africans
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