Sha et al. 2024, systematic review of marathon pacing strategies

A 39-study synthesis (29 observational, 10 experimental) of marathon pacing published in Heliyon (DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36760) found that positive pacing — starting fast and slowing — was the dominant pattern, reported in approximately 77% of studies. Elite athletes maintained markedly lower speed variability across the race than recreational runners, and gender, age, performance level, pack dynamics, and physiological and psychological factors all moderated which strategy was adopted. Moderate evidence.