Study from Zurich: Men Hit the Wall More Often Than Women in the Marathon

Number of Those Affected

Overall, almost 18 percent of men experienced this effect, compared with just under 10 percent of women. Conversely, 52 percent of women ran their race without a clear drop in pace, while for men this was the case for only around 36 percent. Among men who finished under three hours, the rate of hitting the wall was 1.42 percent, six times higher than among equally fast women at 0.23 percent.

The study was led by Beat Knechtle, a general practitioner and marathon runner at the University of Zurich, together with colleagues from Brazil. Co-author Aldo Seffrin explained: "On average, men reached the finish faster, but distributed their energy less carefully. Women ran more evenly and held their pace even in the second half." Seffrin added that it was "interesting and surprising that the sudden drop in performance in men was not a beginner's problem, but was even particularly pronounced among the very fast runners."

Possible Causes in Metabolism

The team names several physiological factors as possible causes. Women, according to the study, have a higher proportion of muscle fibers designed for endurance rather than sprinting. In addition, their glycogen stores in muscles and liver appear to provide energy more efficiently during the race. These sex-specific differences in metabolism could delay the glycogen depletion that triggers hitting the wall.

From an evolutionary perspective, the authors point out that as hunters in the Stone Age, men often had to additionally complete a fast sprint, while for women endurance rather than top speed was more important. Hormones also play a role, according to the study: men tend to overestimate themselves more and take greater risks, which can manifest in an excessively fast starting pace.

Recommendation from the Researchers

Thomas Rosemann, director of the Institute of Primary Care Medicine and also involved in the study, said: «It is also possible,» Rosemann said, «that men in the marathon often storm off much too fast and overestimate their strength.» His colleague Seffrin noted: "Being fitter and more experienced did not protect the men."

The researchers therefore recommend that men start the race more slowly and only accelerate later in order to reduce the risk of hitting the wall. Knechtle, who describes himself as an enthusiastic and regular marathon runner, emphasizes that the findings are also practically useful beyond the realm of science. The study was published at the same time as Ironman Switzerland in Thun, one of Switzerland's largest endurance competitions, in which around 2,300 athletes complete 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling, and a full marathon.