TY - JOUR T1 - Master’s performance in the New York City Marathon 1983–1999 JF - British Journal of Sports Medicine JO - Br J Sports Med SP - 408 LP - 412 DO - 10.1136/bjsm.2002.003566 VL - 38 IS - 4 AU - P Jokl AU - P M Sethi AU - A J Cooper Y1 - 2004/08/01 UR - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/38/4/408.abstract N2 - 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. ER -