Recent advances in marathon research have suggested that factors beyond the three classic physiological variables—maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), fractional utilization of VO2max, and running economy—such as pacing and drafting strategies, environmental conditions, neoteric footwear, and physiological resilience, significantly influence race performance (1). In particular, Jones explained that endurance exercise performance is not solely a function of a runner's physiological status at the start line, but is also related to the runner's fatigue resistance or resilience to changes in the aforementioned indices during the race itself (1). Fatigue resistance and resilience are also expressed in terms of durability. Durability is defined as an individual's ability to resist and delay the decline in certain physiological parameters, both in terms of magnitude and time of onset, during prolonged exercise (2). Regardless of the formal definition of "durability" (2), some studies have been conducted from a durability-like perspective in marathon races (3-9). Notably, in real marathon races, previous research has utilized the runner's heart rate (HR) and running speed to evaluate this concept. HR is a valid indicator of a runner's internal load (10), and deviations therein relative to the external load (running speed) serve as a practical measure for assessing durability during a race (4). For instance, if cardiovascular (CV) drift, i.e., when HR increases despite a constant running speed, occurs early in a marathon, it can be interpreted as a sign of low durability (1, 4, 11). Additionally, heat stress can exacerbate CV drift by increasing CV strain, with factors such as ambient and core body temperatures, hydration status, and exercise duration also playing a role (12). This opinion paper summarizes previous research on runners' durability during marathons and highlights the necessity for durability studies, particularly at the international level to world-class marathon runners.
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