Air Quality, Not Just Fitness Level, Impacts Marathoners' Finish Times

THURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Runners put a lot of thought into how much they must eat and drink to endure a 26.2-mile marathon, properly fueling their bodies to sustain a record-setting pace.

But the quality of the air they huff and puff during endurance events could also play a key role in their performance, a new study says.

Higher levels of air pollution are associated with slower average marathon finish times, according to findings published recently in the journal Sports Medicine.