What are the important guidelines to get from your runner on what your pacing duties are?

Do you log your pacing miles?  If so what as?

How do you spend your time with the crew in the Hours leading up to your stretch?  Do you get some rest or go from point to point with them along the course?

Any Firsthand advice for Miwok?  I'm Familiar with the trail From Tennessee Valley to Muir Beach, and I've been on the Dipsea Trail going into Stinson.

I've never paced in a 100 miler before, but I can outline the things that I expect from my pacers during those long races.

1. I let them know where to run. Some guys like a pacer in front of them, some prefer them to follow. I prefer to have the pacer follow me. This allows ME to dictate the pace while receiving encouragement from the faceless voice behind me. I find it to be frustrating to watch a fresh runner in front of me as they keep looking over their shoulder to see if I'm alive. Either way, you need to know what your runner would prefer.

2. Have an aid station strategy. My pacers always know what I want and need from the aid stations. This is spelled out and discussed several days before the event. I have my pacer speed ahead to get my stuff ready before I arrive. He knows what I want and it's ready (or in process) when I get there. He takes care of me first, then I roll out alone while he tends to his own needs. It's his job to catch up to me when he's finished.

3. Discuss discussion. I don't like a lot of mind numbing talk on the trail and if we do talk, I like to be the one to initiate the discussion. I hate a pacer that spews bullshit for hours and hours. I'm not there to be entertained and I don't need to hear mindless jabbering. If I feel like talking, I'll talk. If I want silence, it's silent. The runner and pacer need to be on the same page regarding vocal motivation. It can break a runner if it's handled poorly.

4. Muling. If it's allowed, discuss how it should be handled. Understand what gear your runner will have and what fuel he plans to carry. If muling isn't allowed, be creative. I've never heard of a DQ due to illegal muling.

5. The pacer needs to understand the race plan. I develop a a very thorough race plan prior to my 100's and I share it with my pacer. The plan  outlines split times, fueling needs, clothing and gear changes, etc. The pacer should be aware of these demands in advance and be prepared to help facilitate.

6. Communicate expectations. There needs to be a clear set of expectations leading to the race. This is an open dialog about how your runner will behave in varying conditions, what his goal is, his level of commitment to finish, what may annoy or motivate him, etc. This means that there needs to be verbal communication prior to the race. And it would be best if the pacer has run with, or at least understands the personality of the runner.

7. Chain of command. In my races, Jo is the boss. If she tells me to DNF, I don't debate it. If she fires my pacer, he's a gone mother fucker. It's entirely likely that she's the only person thinking clearly. Either way, there has to be a clear leader that has the runner's best interests in heart and can see the see the big picture. The important thing is that there is a team structure and a team captain is in place. The team captain knows the plan, knows the runner, knows the pacer and runs the show. But most importantly, it's MY race and Jo knows what I want and expect so she has the authority to make decisions for me, even if my pacer disagrees.

I have had several great pacers and I have a couple bad experiences and had to fire 2 of them during a race. Through all that, I've learned a lot about how I want to be cared for. If I'm going to spend big dollars and many months preparing for a race, its in my best interest to have the best pacer I can find. But I also have an obligation as the runner, to outline my expectations and set the stage for a successful race. I spend countless hours performing analysis and developing plans. If your runner doesn't do the same thing, the race will be a crap shoot.

Good Stuff Mandy.

 

Lace Thanks for the detailed list.  My runner is a pretty easy going gal, so I need to have some more structure.  Two of my fellow crew mates have paced her before and she hasn't had a down patch yet.  I've determined that the Ultra Signup GOAL TIMES are about an hour fast for runners with previous runs on the course in that age group.

Nooooooo.... you adjust to the runner.  The pacer adjusts to the runner.  It is the runner's day.  My

wife can't stand to know clock time, race time, pace, or where we are--almost the opposite of me.

We have to pay attention to each other's whims as the day goes along if we are together.  The way

of the other person (the runner) governs the pacer's behavior.

A minor point about the pacer zooming ahead into an aid station to get everything done for the runner.

There are places that is frowned on, i.e., against the rules.  Check the rules for Miwok, then see if you

can find out if they are enforced.  There are a lot of rules you read about or hear about, only to find out

they are not enforced.

Along with getting your runner through an aid station (helping to whatever extent appears to be the

rule of the day), remember to get yourself some stuff.  You have to be eating/drinking too.  You must

not be any sort of reason for your runner to slow, stop, or worry.

Tactical stuff:  if your runner wants to know the distances (usually just to the next aid station), have it

memorized or on a handy waterproof smearproof card (or memorize it).  Nowadays lots of races

have that info as you leave the aid station--beware of number inversions, i.e., don't say 6.9 when it is

9.6 sort of thing.