Performance and Age

AGE TRENDS

The age distribution of ultra runners shows that the majority are aged 30-50 years. Younger ultra runners under 30 years have increased gradually over the past 30 years. These trends indicate that ultra runners are dominated by the middle-aged, but the share of younger participants is slowly growing, suggesting a gradual broadening of the participant demographic.

Across all age groups, the average speed of ultra runners has declined over the years. This trend is likely due to the growing popularity of ultra running, which has attracted more amateur participants. Speeds across different age groups are also converging, particularly at 100 km events, suggesting a possible approach to the limits of human performance in ultra-endurance. The 30–40 age group has experienced the greatest decline, dropping from an average speed of 10.2 km/h in 1990—the fastest among all groups—to 6.7 km/h in 2020, just below the average speed of the under-30 group. Meanwhile, the youngest runners (<30 years) have shown improvement over time; since 2007, their average speed has surpassed that of the 30–40 age group.

PERFORMANCE