The Pacing Conundrum Part 2: Does the "Young Gun" Effect Hold True in Singles?

Following the Data: From Doubles to Singles

In Part 1 of this series, we dove into pacing in the Redline Fitness Games '24 Doubles categories. The data told a clear story: the younger Men's Doubles teams tended to start explosively fast, only to fade significantly in the later stages of the race. But does this "Young Gun" effect, a potential mix of enthusiasm, adrenaline, and perhaps a dash of ego, hold true when athletes are competing on their own?

To find out, I've applied the same analysis to the '24 Men's and Women's Singles Competitive categories. Let's see if the patterns are the same when it's just you against the clock, with no partner to impress or rely on.

Men's Singles Comp: The Sprint, The Fade, and The Mule

Looking at the Men's Singles Competitive data, the pattern, while perhaps less dramatic than in the Doubles, is definitely still present. The 18-24 age group (the blue bars) comes out of the gate hot, clocking the second-fastest average 'Run' time.

However, after that initial burst, the story changes. That same 18-24 group goes on to post the **slowest average time in 8 of the remaining 11 stations!** The chart almost tells a story of energy expenditure in real-time. What's particularly interesting is the near-perfect mirror image between the 'Run' (station 1) and 'The Mule' (station 11). The 'Run' clearly favors the younger athletes' explosive speed, while 'The Mule' seems to reward the steady pacing and strength-endurance of the older competitors.

While the Age-Pacing Effect is still visible, it seems slightly less pronounced than in the Men's Doubles. My hypothesis? A singles race removes the team dynamic. There's less external pressure to "show off" for a partner, which might lead to slightly more measured (though still aggressive) pacing from the younger athletes compared to their doubles counterparts.

Women's Singles Comp: A Tale of Two Stations

On the women's side, the overall chart doesn't show the same dramatic "U-shaped" pacing curve for the youngest age group. The performance across most stations is more consistent. However, a fascinating mirror-image pattern does emerge when we look closely at two specific stations: the 'Row' and 'The Mule'.

As highlighted in Figure 2, the "Young Guns" (specifically the 18-24 and 25-29 age groups) are significantly faster on the 'Row', an early-race station that tests power and cardiovascular output. Yet, towards the end of the race on 'The Mule' (station 11), a grueling test of carrying endurance, the "Oldies" (the 45-49 and 50+ categories) come out on top. This suggests that even without a dramatic overall crash, there's evidence of different energy systems and pacing strategies at play, with younger athletes excelling at early power output and experienced athletes showing superior endurance and strength preservation for the final stages.

Conclusion: Pacing is Personal, But Data is Universal

So, does the "Young Gun" effect hold true in Singles? Yes, particularly in the men's race, though perhaps moderated by the individual nature of the event. For both men and women, the data clearly shows that different age groups tend to excel at different stages of the race.

The key takeaway for all athletes, regardless of age, is to understand your own strengths and weaknesses and build a pacing strategy that plays to them. Don't get drawn into someone else's race at the start line. Know where you can push and where you need to conserve, because as the data shows, the race is often won or lost in the final, grueling stations.