Fast starters and slow finishers: A large-scale data analysis of pacing at the beginning and end of the marathon for recreational runners

Abstract

Every year millions of people participate in big-city marathons around the world, with such events routinely attracting thousands and even tens of thousands of participants. Careful pacing is widely considered to be an important determinant of success in the marathon and, come race-day, most participants will have decided on a pacing strategy to ensure they manage their energy levels and optimise their finish-times. While researchers have examined the pacing of elite athletes, recreational runners are less well understood. We present an analysis of 1.7 million recreational runners, focusing on pacing at the start and end of the marathon, two particularly important race stages. We show how starting or finishing too quickly can result in poorer finish-times, because fast starts tend to be very fast, leading to endurance problems later, while fast finishes suggest overly cautious pacing earlier in the race. We find that women tend to pace their race more effectively than men, but they can be more cautious too, costing them minutes overall. These findings help to quantify the costs of uneven pacing at the start and end of a marathon, and may help to improve coaching and performance in endurance races.