What do pacemakers in marathons do

Chivvying along the runners with shouts of encouragement and regular progress updates can make the difference between a disastrous disappointment and a spectacular success.

On the finish line, the stumbling, zombified mass of elated runners thrusting hands out for shaking or offering full body sweaty bear hugs are evidence of how important a role these pacers play. So what's the secret to perfect pacing? Do you go off fast at the start and "bank" some time? Or do you run more conservatively hoping to pick up the pace in the second half? Is running even splits throughout the race a sensible strategy and how do you factor in changes in gradient?

Even if you are unable to jump in with an official pacer, you can of course still use the omnipresent mile or km markers to measure your progress. Use your GPS watch by all means if it works but remember to run the race, not the distance. Looking at race data from various half and full marathons, it's clear that for the majority of runners, the first half tends to be faster than the second.

This "positive split" is often a result of getting swept along by the early-miles-easiness, before paying the price later on in the race. For more reading, this article predicts that. This isn't specifically about pacemakers, but about groups competing against each other, similar to cycling teams. The article has some good insights about the psychological aspects of running in a group. There are two in famous cases of pacesetters continuing the race and going on to win: Paul Pilkington at the Los Angeles marathon , and Tom Byers at the Bislett Games.

Byers built a ten-second lead when "the rest of the field refused to follow his pace" and Pilkington similarly was well away from the rest of the pack at the point he was supposed to step off. Other answers have correctly noted that some events make their rabbits sign contracts to drop out, and IAAF rules require that any pacemakers start the race with everyone else otherwise the pacemakers constitute unfair assistance for some runners.

For events where dropping out is not a part of the contract, though, consider this: what motivation do the other runners have to follow the pace set by a rabbit when they know the rabbit will drop out? Perfect pacemaking requires the rabbit to hit exactly the requested splits at the designated milestones, but also requires the actual competitors to be close in with the pacemakers. Allowing the pacemakers to finish the race motivates the rest of the runners to at least keep them in sight, to avoid piracy.

I've had a few things to say on this subject elsewhere. If a pacemaker reaches their designated drop-out point but is still leading and important point still feels capable of holding the lead, they can actually continue to be useful by staying in the race.

Some races pay pacemakers more the longer they can continue leading at the agreed-upon pace. In these cases the rabbit would drop once they found themselves falling off the pace or, on the track, if the rest of the field begins passing them.

The pacemaker is required to hold a certain pace for a certain distance, but there are no obligations afterwards. Things are done this way because people who hire pacemakers operate on the assumption that pacemakers will not be able to keep up with the stars in the last part of the race.

There is a provision in the contract to the effect that the pacemaker has to drop out of the race after a certain point, and the pacemaker simply chooses to break the contract. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Believe in yourself and your abilities. You can do more than you think!

Enjoy the race! Wishing you victories over yourself and new records! Word to the participants: May finishing this half marathon course become a sparkling jewel in the crown of your life achievements. Only serious trainings can bring a positive result, Practice and you will be happy! Word to the participants: Run for pleasure, enjoy every step. You have to live through many things, And every finish is a new start, Do not try to predict the future, And do not mourn the past.

Word to the participants: May the race give you more than you expect. Home Athletics. Athletics Why do organizers use pacesetters for long-distance running events? Athletics Tokyo Olympics. Latest Videos. Similar Posts.