Forums >Racing>Pace Guides, Pacers, Pacing as Mid/Back of Pack Runners
Misinformation Officer
I am considering becoming a half marathon pacer as my next long term running goal.
For those of you who have experience as mid- or back of the pack pacers, would you share what you feel prepared you to pace and what makes you a good pacer?
For context, my recent hm did not have pacers, but we self-selected into corrals based on anticipated finish time. I was 3 minutes slower than I wanted, but coincidentally finished with the same guys who were next to me at the start.
The hm before that, my pace group finished 5 minutes behind goal. (At the time, I didn't own a gps watch. I have one now.)
If you're a mid- back- of the pack runner, what have been your good/bad experiences with pacers?
Runs like a dj mixing songs while wearing festive outfits.5k PR 5/31/21 24:21
10k PR 5/23 54:43
HM PR 1/2024 1:59:10
I was around the 2:15 pacer at a HM last year. I was almost happy to fall off that pace because the pacer was so hyperly enthusiastic. It was the type of rah-rah thing that if you are having a good day and feeling good, it may be fun. If not, it was obnoxious and I may have lol-ed when another runner said she'd wish he STFU.
I also did one where the 2:05 group started at sub 2 hour oace on an uphill.
I think it's also probably good to share up front what the an is. All running at a steady pace or a run/walk plan.
Will you pace my next 5K I went out too fast when I was 18 and now I still go out too fast as a 58 year old!
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PR's: 1 mile - 5:59.4 (2023) | 5K - 20:59 (2023) | 5M - 35:42 (2023) | 10K - 45:12 (2024) | 10M - 1:18:33 (2024) | HM - 1:40:04 (2024)Up-coming Races: Bookin for Lookin 10k (4/21/24), Yes You Can 5K (4/28/24).
To run as a pacer you just need to have a GPS watch and a pace band giving you total elapsed time target after each mile, and pay close attention to them throughout the race. It’s not really much more complicated than that! I don’t think there are many excuses for really bad pacing. The main issue is with a hilly race, where you need to adjust for uphills/downhills. For larger races you can usually get a pace band that builds the course elevation profile in to the target mile splits. Otherwise, you just need to use your judgement. Focus on even effort rather than even pace, keep an eye on where your total elapsed time should be at each mile assuming even splits, and ensure you have enough time to gradually adjust before the end of the race.
If you are pacing a half, you should be sure the distance is no big deal for you. You should either be a marathoner for whom an easy-paced 13 is a walk in the park, or you have raced a LOT of HMs, finishing much faster than the time you’re pacing. The ideal pacer pace is your normal easy run pace—what your body naturally reverts to when you aren’t targeting a specific pace. Pacing a time that’s much faster or much slower than your normal easy will make it more difficult for you to stay consistent. You’ll be constantly speeding yourself up or slowing yourself down, making it tougher on the runners trying to follow you.
How you interact with the runners following you is a matter of personal preference. Some like to be cheerleaders or extra chatty, some just like to do their job. If you want to be chatty, I wouldn’t force conversations with the runners, since some just want to focus on their race.
Personally I find pacing to be a blast. You’re in a race environment, which is always fun, but you’re not working hard, which is the part that makes it less fun when you’re actually racing. And if you do a good job, the runners you paced will be supremely grateful, and it’s a great feeling of accomplishment.
Dave
Funny.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
Mmmm Bop
Very good advice from DavePNW…especially running by effort if there’s hills or a strong tail/headwind rather than aiming for every mile to be at exactly the same pace regardless…that will really irritate the group and potentially ruin their race if they aren’t experienced runners.
I personally prefer to have 4 data fields showing on my Garmin…average (1 mile) lap pace, average overall pace, time and distance.
If the course is certified then your watch will almost certainly show more than 13.1 miles at the finish so you’ll need to take that into consideration. The last half I paced showed 13.2 which meant I was running each mile a few seconds faster than the pace band.
Finally, don’t expect many runners to actually start and finish with you!
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Oh yes. You'll want to check the total elapsed time target on your pace band when you hit each mile marker, rather than when your watch beeps.
Plus, your pace team leader will probably provide some direction on this, but I'm accustomed to targeting a finish 30 seconds ahead of goal time, to play it safe. So if you're pacing 2:00 for 13.1, that's a 9:10 pace. But really you're going for 1:59:30 for ~13.2. so you'll want to be running closer to 9:04.
This is all valuable input! Keep it coming!
Resident Historian
Talk to the group before you start and explain what your pacing plan will be, so they'll know what to expect. Things like first mile will be slower because... (crowds? to warm up?), we'll pick up any lost time by xx miles, keep even effort going up and down hills, explain any tricky points in the race, how to handle water stations, etc...
Neil
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Some people will tell you that slow is good – but I'm here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. - Hunter S. Thompson
#RunEveryDay
Last September, I was a pace bunny for the first time. (Still stunned that I got asked to pace because it wasn't even on my radar.) Goal 2h40min. Our race likes pace bunnies to run about 15 minutes behind their usual race pace. The race committee provided me a list of expectations. I got a shirt, a pace sign to carry (which was on a pole like a bike flag and wasn't heavy even late in the race), free race registration, access to the indoor washrooms on race morning and obviously the finish medal at the end. I walked on mile markers a bit as well as through water stations and tried to talk to those around me who were mostly familiar faces. Warned them anytime a walk was coming up. Local race. I ran the last mile solo and ended up finishing in 2:40:12. I got to hand out a few medals to the runners coming behind me that I'd run a good chunk of the race with. I was nervous before hand, but two of the most important things I was told before was "you're a leader out there and people will follow" and "just run your race and finish in the set time; you don't have to do a set run/walk." It was very rewarding and it's a different race not needing to push and just running easy. I will do it again.
Half Fanatic #9292.
Game Admin for RA Running Game 2023.
All About that Pace 2024
Hello-
I have paced Baltimore Marathon towards back of pack at least 7 times, Kentucky Marathon 3x , numerous Halfs. Our pacing group now just does the Baltimore Marathon. The Pace Coordinator should have guidelines for you to follow. For us, we must come in within one minute for the marathon and run very similar mile paces throughout. We are to be a "clock or metronome". We don't "bank" time. For the marathon, we must be able to run 15 to 20 minutes faster than we are pacing so we don't die on a hot or tough course. For the half it would be able to run 7 to 10 minutes faster than pace goal. Nothing is more dispiriting for runners than for a Pacer to start out quickly and "bank" time.
Be energetic but not annoying. Do not tell any political, religious or off color jokes. If you think it is odd, don't say it. Wear GPS and pace band. Talk quietly every mile with fellow pacer. When runners ask how is our pace, always answer "right on time". When they ask how fast you can run, answer, " fast enough to get us in on time today". Don't brag about your previous races. Do not fix on one runner and talk with them the whole time. If runners are too close to you, just ask them to give you some room while running.
Constantly do your math in your head and look at your mile/lap average and recent pace. Do not go by your watch for final mileage/time. You must work off the mile markers even though they are always wrong. Look for elapsed time by mile 11 to see how much real time you have left to hit the finish within one minute for the half goal.
Smile and enjoy, if you are good at this, you will have improved numerous runners around you.
Dwight
Waltons ThreadLord
The best pacers I've run with were ones who explained they'd be going a bit slower up the hills and a bit faster down the hills. They help maintain some conversation, including tips about running, just to keep peoples' minds off the distance.
The worst pacers I've run with, or seen, are those who boast their goal is to come in 5 minutes early (not the recommended 30 seconds), who start out to quickly to "bank" time, or who let some members of the group push them to go too fast, leaving behind those who want to run the advertised pace.
Make sure the pace you offer to run is well within your capabilities (e.g. not just 5 minutes off your PR). You want to be strong throughout the race and able to encourage those with you who are barely able to make it. If the pacer looks weak and tired, it can demoralize the rest of the group.
5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)Upcoming races: Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27; Running is Back 10k, 5/12
Yes, let people know if you will you walk through water stations or just slow down then speed up.
If you're carrying some sort of flag or sign, do not wave it around and nearly jab me someone in the face with it.
Knowing fun facts about the course (if possible) can be a good and inoffensive way to pass time and make conversation. E.g., "after we go around this corner, give a wave to the residents of the retirement home!" I remember that one from a pacer at Flying Pig.
4/14/24 Napa Valley 50k, Calistoga, CA
7/20/24 Tahoe Rim Trail 56 miler, NV
9/21/24 Mountain Lakes 100, OR
Practice running a specific pace that isn't your normal pace while chatting with other runners. My first marathon, the pacer was pacing for the first time. When he was talking, he couldn't keep the pace. He would slow down. Then when reminded that he was going too slow, he sped up. We went back and forth between too slow and too fast with no consistent pace at all. Since he had also said he intended to bank time to deal with hills mid-race, I decided that I would be better off running alone. It is hard enough to be consistent in pacing when you are running your own normal pace, doing a different pace while talking to different people can be too much for some people.
The hype guy I mentioned had to tap signs with every pacer. It was a narrow course at that point. I'm guessing people were not amused.