The following scientific paper was recently published that you may find of interest that examines changes in the demographics of participants and performance trends at the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run (WSER) since its inception in 1974.
Abstract
Purpose: Examine changes in demographics of participants and performance trends at the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run (WSER) since its inception in 1974.
Methods: Name, age, sex, and finish information was obtained on runners in the WSER from 1974 to 2007. Linear regression analyses, ANOVA, and t-tests were used to examine participation and performance trends.
Results: The mean age of participants increased (P < 0.001) to around 45 yr, with men being an average of 3 yr older (P < 0.001) than women. The increase in average age of starters was accounted for by the growth in participation among women >=40 yr and men >=50 yr, and by the decreasing participation among men <50 yr. Between 1986 and 2007, there was an increasing participation among women to around 20% of all starters. With this came improved (P < 0.01) finish times for the top 5 overall women and the top 5 women in the 30-39 and 40-49 yr age groups, whereas performances among the men did not improve over this time span. Average ages of the top performers increased (P <= 0.002) since 1990 to the upper 30s for both sexes, but the fastest times among men were comparable across the 30-39 and 40-49 yr age groups.
Conclusions: Participation in the WSER has increased among women and older athletes, and the ages of the fastest runners at the WSER have gradually risen to the extent that these runners are older than the ages at which the fastest marathons are run. In contrast to what has been observed for men, finish times have improved for the top women across the last two decades at the WSER.
As one of my financial analysis mentors used to exhort to me early in my career: “Statistics are like a bikini: What they reveal is very interesting, but what they conceal is highly significant”…
While it is interesting to note that the average age of participants has increased, I wonder about the average age of applicants. WSER, like many races, has become much more difficult and expensive to gain entry. I suspect some of the “aging” of the field is a self-selecting process in which an older, more affluent group of runners are more likely to attempt to gain entry. Just a thought, I have neither the statistics (nor the bikini) to back up my hypothesis.
It’s funny because I went for a run after initially reading this and was thinking about the same thing!
“thinking about the same thing!”…
Do you mean the statistics, or the bikini? Could be the unseasonably warm weather, practically beach weather you know?