This hormone provides for a larger body frame and muscle mass. But women produce some testosterone as well, and men manufacture some estrogen. It is the consequences of these hormonal events that comparisons are made between men and women athletes. In addition, other differences are measurable, especially those related to the responses to training. For example, because of the larger quantity of muscle, men tend to be stronger in power.
Women can improve strength dramatically, but without the major increase in muscle mass seen in men.
Endurance sports are not true power events, where muscle bulk is key. If that were the case, just lifting weights would provide the advantage, and almost all men would cross the finish line before even the first women. Endurance capacity is often measured Using V02 max. Females reach their peak V02 max in early teens where males reach theirs around age 20, and maintain higher levels than women. Women are also capable of experincing the same relative increase in VO2 max as men.