Forums >Racing>Can someone explain race 'Pacers' to me.
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Here's an article on pace groups I found last year when I had the same questions as you. Mind you this is from a specific marathon - details may vary depending on the marathon. It's pretty simple though - they run an even pace and you just keep up. Apparently it's pretty flexible - a friend of mine started with one pace group - was feeling good so he sped up a bit and caught up with the next one.
I'm left wondering -- who are these people that are pacers, are there really people who can just say "today I'm going to run 26.2 miles and come in at exactly 3H 30min. Yawn." ?
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I still don't know what I think of the concept. I mean sure if they pace you to a desired time thats great and all but if they don't and you rely soley on them to run race pace and they don't for whatever reason I would think it would be pretty upsetting! The best thing I think is l to run your race and shoulder all the responsibility of how well or how poorly you do! If you train properly and set time goals within your means and dont go out TOO FAST especially in the longer distances, you should be ok most of the time.
I still don't know what I think of the concept. I mean sure if they pace you to a desired time thats great and all but if they don't and you rely soley on them to run race pace and they don't for whatever reason I would think it would be pretty upsetting!
The best thing I think is l to run your race and shoulder all the responsibility of how well or how poorly you do! If you train properly and set time goals within your means and dont go out TOO FAST especially in the longer distances, you should be ok most of the time.
But one thing does confuse me: I've heard lots of race strategies that involve starting off a little slower than race pace, gradually increasing your pace, and running the last couple of miles as fast as you can. This contradicts the concept of a pace team running the entire race at a steady pace.
Or is that the point? I usually like to start near a pace team, watch them run off into the distance while I'm holding back my pace, then catch up to them in the middle of the race, and finally pass them in the last few miles. Is that the way they're meant to be used?
#2867
Thanks Bonkin and MandyS for the information and pointer to the web page. Pacers are an interesting concept to me. I'm left wondering -- who are these people that are pacers, are there really people who can just say "today I'm going to run 26.2 miles and come in at exactly 3H 30min. Yawn." ? Wow, that boggles the mind. Thanks again.
Defnitely proceed with caution since not all pacers are the good. [...] He would slow down and surge ahead so many times - it was like running intervals during a marathon. For some reason - handful of people tried to stick it out with him. KC
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