Why do thin runners, who do not have a lot of fat reserves always manage to be champions for marathons?

Question

Why do thin runners, who do not have a lot of fat reserves always manage to be champions for marathons?

Answer 1

thin runners do have smaller fat reserves and you would think that they wouldnt be as fast after about 13 -14 miles of a marathon well you see marathon runners dont have to use as mush of there fat reserve because there body is so use to running and when they do use it there body uses it easier which in turns doesnt make them push as hard.

Answer 2

If you train for a marathon to be an elite runner, you can't help but being very thin.  Running 60+ miles a week tends to do that to you.

Answer 3

Fat is the main fuel for long-distance running. Marathon is NOT a long-distance race.

The maximum amount of 'glycogen' (sugar-based fuel) that your body can store, will last for about two hours when you use it up at your fastest 'sustainable' level of effort.

So a race lasting about two hours can be completed without burning a lot of fat.

(When you get near the 'bottom of the sugar tank', your liver fires up its emergency 'neo-glucogenesis' mode, to make extra sugar from other substances. This process is a little bit toxic, and makes you feel like you're dying. Runners call this feeling 'the wall', because 'running through it' seems impossible at the time.)

The competitors in 'ultrarunning' events, which last 12 hours and more, typically have a higher bodyfat and run at a lower 'intensity', so that they can avoid using any sugar at all, if possible.

Even for the most efficient runners, fat will only power activity BELOW 50% of maximum intensity. In reality, it's impossible to run this gently, especially if the terrain is challenging. On unstable surfaces, powerful movements are needed in order to constantly adjust your balance.

In events lasting over three days, it's common for women to beat the male competitors. This is partly because women typically store more fat, and partly because women have relatively high leg strength, and low upper-body weight, so that their strength-to-weight ratio is often greater than that of most men.

Answer 4

because they run a lot to train and running a lot will burn fat quite effectively

Answer 5

There are a lot of reasons. Champion marathon runners put in crazy amounts of time, mileage, and thought to run specific races. Their bodies are used to the running. And the top runners aren't JUST thin. Their bodies are made of muscle as well. And fat isn't the only way to get energy quickly either (gels, drinks, etc.).

Answer 6

Because, they are thinner so they may go faster, but that is not exactly good.