Marathon Performance as a Predictor of Competitiveness and Training in Men and Women

Abstract

Recent research demonstrated that more males than females run proportionally close to gender-specific world-class standards, which may serve as an estimate of gender differences in competitiveness and training commitment. The current study is a reexamination of three datasets, totaling 844 male and female marathoners, and focuses on testing the associations among relative performance (i.e., lifetime best performance relative to genderspecific world-class standards), competitiveness, and training volume. Relative performance predicted both training and competitiveness similarly for men and women (volume, R' = .15 .21; competitiveness, R^ = .07 .08). Homogeneity of slopes and analysis of covariance models revealed no evidence that relative performance underestimated female training or competitiveness. These findings support the hypothesis that differences in relative performance refiect a gender difference in competitiveness and training commitment. Documenting gender differences in relative performance across sports, cultures, and time periods may provide novel insights into the expression of motivation.

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