Master Athletes Are Extending the Limits of Human Endurance

Theincreasedparticipationofmasterathletes(i.e.,>40yearsold)inenduranceandultra-enduranceevents(>6hduration)overthepastfewdecadeshasbeenaccompaniedbyanimprovementintheirperformancesatamuchfasterratethantheiryoungercounterparts.Agingdoeshoweverresultinadecreaseinoverallenduranceperformance.Suchage-relateddeclinesinperformancedependuponthemodesoflocomotion,eventduration,andgenderoftheparticipant.Forexample,smallerage-relateddeclinesincyclingperformancethaninrunningandswimminghavebeendocumented.Therelativestabilityofgenderdifferencesobservedacrosstheagessuggeststhattheage-relateddeclinesinphysiologicalfunctiondidnotdifferbetweenmalesandfemales.Amongthemainphysiologicaldeterminantsofenduranceperformance,themaximaloxygenconsumption(VO2max)appearstobetheparameterthatismostalteredbyage.ExerciseeconomyandtheexerciseintensityatwhichahighfractionofVO2maxcanbesustained(i.e.,lactatethreshold),seemtodeclinetoalesserextentwithadvancingage.Theabilitytomaintainahighexercise-trainingstimuluswithadvancingageisemergingasthesinglemostimportantmeansoflimitingtherateofdeclineinenduranceperformance.Byconstantlyextendingthelimitsof(ultra)-endurance,masterathletesthereforerepresentanimportantinsightintotheabilityofhumanstomaintainphysicalperformanceandphysiologicalfunctionwithadvancingage.