LEGS BUILT FOR RUNNING

MEN may be better sprinters, but women come top in endurance running — particularly ‘ultra-marathons’ of up to 100 miles. The reasons are numerous. First, women are lighter — meaning they’re placing less stress on their leg joints, particularly during downhill stretches. Shorter legs are often seen as an advantage, too, as they mean a faster stride, which enables efficient use of the ‘elastic energy’ created as we run. Women also have a larger surface-area-to-mass ratio than men, so heat dissipates better throughout their bodies — meaning they are less likely to overheat. Thirdly, women generally burn a higher percentage of fat than men — around 75 per cent more — while running. This means that their energy is released consistently, while men are more likely to hit ‘the wall’. And the fourth reason is that women are better at pacing. A study of 1.8 million marathon results concluded that women are better than men at maintaining a consistent speed.