4. Women Pace Marathons Better Than Men Do

In this article, Gretchen Reynolds explains why women pace themselves better than men do in marathons. Recent studies were done by students from three different universities: Marquette University in Milwaukee, the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and Grand Valley State University in Michigan. The students compared over thousands of runners paces, by comparing their mid-race times with their finishing times. In the second half of the race, men were more likely to slow their pace then women were. Therefore, the women were more steady in their paces, while men tended to speed up in the first half and slow down in the second. A professor at one of the colleges doing the studies explained that the research was done to show the psychological and physiological differences between men and women. Studies prove that men run out of energy quicker than women do, since they use carbohydrates instead of fat as energy. Also, men use a strategy that is more risky, deciding to start the are fast and hope to keep their energy throughout the entire race. The differences were proved as a way of helping men and women to compare how they run and how they can improve their speed during marathons. 
Throughout the article Reynolds used data and research to convey the information about marathon runners.  The author also used quotes from a professor and a physical trainer to prove her thesis. This article is very informative and straightforward,while it is also an entertaining way of learning new information. Reynolds hopes to help both male and female runners alike through the information in her article, and finishes with a quote that encourages runners to push themselves the maximum amount they can handle. Gretchen Reynolds's article was very well written, informative, and educational.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/women-pace-marathons-better-than-men-do/?_php=true&_type=blogs&ref=nutrition&_r=0