Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026
Using an Ingestible Telemetric Temperature Pill to Assess Gastrointestinal Temperature During Exercise
Published on: October 7, 2015
Effect of ambient temperature on marathon pacing is dependent on runner ability
Matthew R Ely1, David E Martin, Samuel N Cheuvront
1U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA 01760-5007, USA. matthew.ely@us.army.mil
Unlabelled:
Warmer weather negatively impacts the finishing time of slower marathon (42.2 km) runners more than faster runners. How warmer weather impacts runners' regulation of effort (pacing) leading to the decreased performance is poorly understood.
Purpose:
To determine the influence of air temperature on pacing of runners with differing abilities throughout the marathon.
Methods:
Race results were obtained from three Japanese Women's championship marathons that included 5 km times, finishing time, and corresponding weather conditions. A total of 62 race years' outcomes were analyzed using the race winner and 25th, 50th, and 100th place finishers.
Results:
The fastest marathoners (winners) ran an even pace throughout the race while runners of lesser ability slowed as the race progressed, particularly after 20-25 km. The difference between the first (0-5 km) and last (35-40 km) 5-km split times (pace differential) for the 100th place finishers was the same in cool (C = 5-10 degrees C) as warm (W = 15.1-21 degrees C) conditions (C = 199 +/- 45 s; W = 198 +/- 40 s). The pace differential for the 50th place finisher tended to increase with increasing air temperature (C = 115 +/- 16 s; W = 16 3+/- 27 s) but was not significantly different. In contrast, warmer weather resulted in a slowing (P < 0.05) of pace for the 25th place finisher (C = 90 +/- 25 s; W = 191 +/- 20 s) and race winners (C = -22 +/- 14 s; W = 24 +/- 13 s).
Conclusions:
Increasing air temperatures slow pace more in faster runners (winner, 25th) than slower runners (50th, 100th). These results suggest that the negative effect of warmer weather on the finishing times of slower runners is due to slower running velocities from start to finish, rather than a greater deceleration in pace which is exhibited by faster runners.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Factors Influencing Heart Rate
Let us explore the significant factors affecting heart rate, including age, body temperature, posture, acute pain, chemical influences,...
01:28Factors Affecting Body Temperature
Factors may include:
02:28Effect of Temperature Change on Reaction Rate
01:17Other Factors Affecting Respiration Centers
However, the ability to hold one's breath voluntarily is not limitless. When the CO2 concentration in the blood reaches a critical level,...
02:55Temperature Dependence on Reaction Rate
Atoms, molecules, or ions must collide before they can react with each other. Atoms must be close together to form chemical bonds. This premise is the basis for a theory that explains many observations regarding chemical kinetics, including factors affecting reaction rates.
The collision theory is based on the postulates that (i) the reaction rate is proportional to the rate of reactant collisions, (ii) the reacting species collide in an orientation allowing contact between...
01:26Requirements for Human Life
Oxygen
Atmospheric air is only about 20 percent oxygen, but that oxygen is a key component of the chemical reactions that keep the body alive, including the reactions that produce ATP. Brain cells are susceptible to a lack of oxygen because they require a...