![]() ![]() I’d recommend checking races you’re considering before you sign up in case that’s something you plan to utilize. But this also depends on your personality and how new you are to the sport. Having a pacer to run with can be very helpful. This ensures that the pacer is able to get its runners to the finish line under the goal time without issue. Pacers are usually appointed to a time slot that is at least 15 – 30 minutes slower than their personal best marathon time. Although the small marathon that I ran in Colorado Springs (221 runners) did have them. Smaller marathons might be another time where there won’t be any pacers. The Boston Marathon is one large marathon that doesn’t provide official pace groups, but you’ll find pacers at most larger marathons. ![]() Not every marathon offers pace groups led by a pacer, but many do. In a marathon, it’s often the negative thoughts in your mind that keep your body from getting through the toughest parts of the race and a pacer often can help you keep going even when you don’t think you have anything left to give. Not only are they expected to run the race applying smart racing strategies, but they are also looked to as someone who can offer encouragement to help runners cross the finish line in the time they hope to achieve. Marathon pacers, also sometimes referred to as “rabbits”, have an important responsibility to their runners. With their expertise, they can help runners achieve their marathon goal time utilizing smart racing strategies. They generally hold a sign with the pace they are running written on it so they are easy to spot. So, what do marathon pacers do? Marathon pacers are usually volunteers who guide a group of runners to meet a particular goal pace. Is that the marathon pacer? Should you go stand by them? Should you say hi?! That’s when you realize maybe you should have thought about this sooner and figured out exactly what their job is and how they can add value to your race. On the day of the race as you walk up ready as you’ll ever be, you see someone holding a sign with your goal time. ![]() Even if you don’t start your training with a time goal in mind, by the time you’re rounding out your long runs you typically have an idea of an attainable goal to shoot for. Some new marathon runners may have a goal simply to finish, but even then it’s nice to have some idea of what time you’re training toward. Most runners who train for a marathon have a particular time goal in mind. ![]()
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