Master's performance in the New York City Marathon 1983-1999.

BACKGROUND Physical activity in older people is believed to slow down the natural aging process through its effects on disuse atrophy. OBJECTIVES To show that elite master (age above 50) male and female athletes, as a group, have improved their running times over the last two decades at a greater rate than their younger counterparts. METHODS Running time, age, and sex of all 415,000 runners in the New York City Marathon from 1983 to 1999 were examined using linear regression analysis. RESULTS The number of master participants increased at a greater rate than their younger counterparts (p<0.05). Running times for the top 50 male and female finishers over the past two decades showed significantly greater improvement in the master groups than in the younger age groups (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Participation in the New York City Marathon is increasing at a higher rate in the master groups than in other age groups. Male and female masters continued to improve running times at a greater rate than the younger athletes, whose performance levels have plateaued. This is the largest study to compare master athletic performance with younger counterparts and men with women.