WhenEliud Kipchoge first attempted to run the marathon distance under 2 hours part of the organizational effort focused on environmental conditions. It is no mystery that, regardless of runners’ preparation, temperature and weather are variable factors that can significantly affect performance and thus the final result.
On that occasion it was chosen to race in the early morning and on a circuit-the Monza circuit-that by conformation and location guaranteed the best conditions. The choice of time, jointly with the good weather forecast, was made so that other factors such as humidity and wind could also be controlled.
We can prepare with determination and precision for each race, but there are variable factors beyond our control that can often affect the final performance.
Among all these factors there are some that are more important: temperature can weigh very heavily, especially when it is very low or, even worse, very high. For example, the marathon at the recent Tokyo Olympics was run in very hot and humid weather, conditions that ruled several athletes out. And if one can protect oneself from the cold, against the heat one cannot do much, in fact nothing at all.
What is the ideal temperature?
To understand how weather was related to race performance, the researchers analyzed 1,258 races held between 1936 and 2019 (including marathons, 50K, 20K, 10,000m, 5,000m and 3,000m) and cross-referenced the results with data from local weather stations.
Drums roll because this mighty analysis has led to the conclusion that…
The best temperature for running a marathon is in the range of 10 to 17.5°C air temperature.
Any value lower but especially higher decreases performance.
Hanging on a forecast (weather)
Unfortunately, the weather is variable by nature, and often races are in intermediate seasons to escape the excessive cold of winter or the unbearable heat of summer. The problem is that precisely during these seasons the climate is extremely variable. In short, it is not necessarily cold in November in New York or mild weather in October in Berlin. It may happen to be very cold or even very hot, and it is really the one thing that, even in the face of perfect preparation, no one can control, not even the strongest.
As in life, unexpected events are always lurking during a race, even if you have prepared perfectly.
As of today, however, you know that if when you race the temperature is between 10 and 17.5°C, you will be in the best condition to do your personal best.
(Main image credits: lzf on DepositPhotos.com – Via Running Magazine)