Northwest Runner - Magazine

If you are a beginning runner, I strongly recommend reading the Northwest Runner magazine. It has many helpful hints to include diet and stretches. This magazine also includes all of the latest upcoming runs, race results of recently completed runs, and the Best Times List. It is kind of exciting to see your name in print in a magazine! Imagine my surprise, however, when I saw my name in the Best Times List! I am not a fast runner and was quite surprised to see my name listed after running the Houston marathon. Grant it, it was early in the year and I was quickly over taken but fun to even be on that list albeit for only one month!

What I found interesting in this months edition was the short article about how 2008 was another record growth year. It stated that in the United States there was a 3.7% increase in finishers for the same 243 marathons. As well, there was a 3% increase in the estimated overall marathon finishers. The United States also has 7 of the 15 largest marathons in the world! Listed is the quick table of gender, age and median times:

Marathon Gender
Women in 1980 = 10.5%
Women in 2008= 41%

Men in 1980 = 89.5%
Men in 2008= 59%

Masters (40 yrs+) in 1980 = 26%
Masters (40 yrs+) in 2008 = 45%

Marathon Median Age
Females in 1980 = 31.3 yrs
Females in 2008 = 35 yrs

Males in 1980 = 34 yrs
Males in 2008 = 39 yrs

Median times for U.S. Marathon Finishers
Females in 1980 = 4:03:39
Females in 2008 = 4:43:32

Males in 1980 = 3:32:17
Males in 2008 = 4:16:00

So we are seeing more women and older runners as the years pass. It is never too late and you are never too old to start running. All you need is a good pair of shoes and the courage to begin. After that, it is the determination to finish! Good luck and may the wind be at your back!