Analysis: Research on over 206,000 people who've completed the London marathon suggests those who belong to a running club do run faster
Since the 1970s, there has been a remarkable surge in the popularity of running as a sport which is accompanied by a corresponding increase into research aimed at understanding it. Evidence on how to run faster, for longer and more efficiently is published in academic journals, fills internet sites and sells books and magazines across the world.
When it comes to training for a marathon, a wide range of techniques are employed in order to get across the finishing line in a desired time. This includes training in interval runs, hill runs, fast runs and recovery runs, employing nutrition and hydration strategies; wearing specific clothing and footwear; using fitness wearables to track progress and listening to favourite music playlists or inspiring podcasts. All of these are designed to get you across the line in one piece, both physically and mentally.
All of these practices have been widely published in peer reviewed journals along with more on foot strike, stride, breast size, BMI, course gradient, weather, menstrual cycles, fitness levels, recovery techniques, sleep, training types and, of course, age and sex.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTE Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, can running clubs improve your speed?
One such practice, which may not be as evident, is running club membership. Is it an investment worth making? Intuitively, we imagine that those running for a club might be faster, but what drives this intuition? Well, those running in a club most likely have a specific training schedule, perhaps thrive from the camaraderie of being part of a group and maybe want to emulate or impress more successful members of the club.
It has previously been established that runners can develop a strong emotional connection to their group and can feel a sense of belonging and of community through the sharing of experiences. Being more productive in a group setting is something a lot of people can relate to. The benefits of teamwork go far beyond the sporting world to areas like financial decision making, research through co-authorship, workplace productivity, weight loss and even envelope stuffing!
Going beyond mere intuition and quantifying the association brings scientific rigor into the running sphere. Our recently published study on finishing times and pace of over 206,000 finishers in London Marathons between 2018 and 2023 would suggest that runners should strongly consider the benefits of club membership.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ 2fm's Jennifer Zamparelli Show, running tips from the Inner City Running Club
The London marathon is fast becoming the largest marathon in the world. It is one of the world's major marathons, alongside Boston, New York, Tokyo, Berlin and Chicago. Such is its draw that event organisers have reported over 840,000 runners have applied for the 2025 race.
In-depth analysis of over 206,000 finishers of five races between 2018 and 2023 provides some interesting results. Firstly, within age category comparisons (18-39 years of age; 40-44; 45-49 and so on), club runners are significantly faster, with males and females, respectively finishing up to 40 and 30 minutes sooner that their non club counterparts. The effect wanes slightly with increasing age but significant benefits persist up to about 60 years of age.
When we examine the data, we observe noticeable peaks in male finishers around certain times, such as just under three or four hours (known as 'sub-three' or sub-four’ in running parlance). In contrast, the peaks for females, while evident, are not as pronounced, suggesting that perhaps males are more inclined to target specific finishing times and more likely to run with a pacer.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ Brainstorm, what happens to your body when you run a marathon?
Runners have the potential to surpass both their expected times and exceed previous personal bests, even surpassing their younger selves. According to our analysis, club members can outperform runners in the 18-39 year old age group up to around the age of 60 years for males and 55 years for females. This suggests that achieving a personal best doesn't have to be a distant memory as we age and it can remain a viable goal with the support of a running club.
While factors like age, course gradient and weather are beyond our control, joining a club is a choice that can positively impact marathon training and therefore finishing time. That increased likelihood of sticking to a training schedule, camaraderie, support and encouragement therein could make a big difference to a runners’ marathon experience. Besides the medal, all that remains, after the hill runs, the gels, the blisters, the missing toenails, and the endless stretching is the finishing time; the sub-whatever-it-may-be-time, a lasting reward in its own right.
When considering your first or next marathon, when researching the best Asics or Brooks running shoes or the most suitable marathon training plan in Runners World, have a look at your local club. It could be the best running investment you’ll make.
Follow RTÉ Brainstorm on WhatsApp and Instagram for more stories and updates
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
