Editorial: Growth, peaking, and aging of competitive athletes

of menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception on athletic performance in elite female athletes.There has been an increasing number of case studies focusing on elite athletes in general and older elite athletes in particular. Because these athletes are exceptional, it is not plausible to gather enough "n" to generate original investigation studies (Billat et al., 2017). Van Hooren and Lepers studied a 71-year-old age-group world record holder who completed the race in 2:54:19. His maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) of 46.6 ml/kg/min was exceptional for his age, and his marathon pace corresponded to 88.5% of his VO2max. However, these values were slightly lower than the previous age-group marathon record holder reported in a previous case study (Robinson et al., 2019). How did he beat the previous record in spite of the lower ratings on physiological determinants? Two remarkable findings were his vastus lateralis having over 90% slow twitch fibers and the training distance averaging over 130 km (80 miles) a week for the past two years. These two elements were linked to a better running economy in this remarkable runner.By taking a holistic approach and exploring a wide range of topics and research methods, this research area has the potential to provide valuable insights into the changes in athletic performance and its physiological determinants over time, and to inform interventions to enhance athletic performance throughout life.