Male marathon runners are approximately twice as likely as female runners to experience a significant performance drop, often referred to as 'hitting the wall,' according to an international research team.
The study, which analyzed 873,334 Berlin Marathon race times, defined hitting the wall as a deceleration of 20% or more. While men generally finished the race faster, they also exhibited a greater tendency for sudden, drastic slowdowns. This trend was observed even among elite runners; men finishing under three hours were six times more likely to hit the wall than women in the same category. In the final miles of the race, men's pace dropped by 18%, compared to 13% for women.
Experts propose that this disparity is not due to biological differences but rather psychological factors, specifically men's tendency to overestimate their competitive abilities and start too fast, leading to early exhaustion. The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggests that women may possess superior pacing strategies.
Over decades of races, from 1999 to 2025, the data showed a consistent pattern: 17.63% of men experienced hitting the wall in the latter half of the race, compared to 9.66% of women. Among runners completing the marathon in under three hours, 1.42% of men slowed significantly, versus 0.23% of women.
While previous studies have suggested women might be more efficient at conserving glycogen, the researchers argue that if the issue were purely physiological, the gap between the fastest male and female runners wouldn't be so pronounced. Co-author Aldo Seffrin noted that the largest gap appears among the fastest male competitors, pointing to strategy and risk-taking as key elements. He concluded that many runners, particularly men, could improve their finishing times by adopting a more conservative start and maintaining an even pace throughout the race.
Previous research has indicated that men may be more inclined to overestimate their abilities and take greater risks in competitive scenarios, contributing to the tendency to start too fast and burn through energy reserves prematurely. This phenomenon suggests that a runner's psychological approach and adherence to a pacing plan are as critical as their physical conditioning.
The study focused on the Berlin Marathon due to its flat course and generally stable weather conditions, aiming to isolate pacing and psychological factors from environmental variables. The findings suggest that women's ability to complete marathons without significant slowdowns, with 52% achieving this compared to one-third of men, highlights a difference in race strategy and self-assessment between genders.