It's interesting how the marathon discrepancies mostly disappear at left and right of the curve (looking at 2:30 and 6:30). Presumably top runners are putting o

It's interesting how the marathon discrepancies mostly disappear at left and right of the curve (looking at 2:30 and 6:30). Presumably top runners are putting out 100% of sustainable effort the whole time so there's no reserve energy and the slowest are similarly doing all they can just to get the race done. The folks in the middle are the ones who are putting in something less than 100%.