Pace Your Race!
By Jonathan Savage
An organized pace group can help you achieve your marathon goal, as well as offering support and encouragement. The pacers can prevent you going out to fast, keep you steady for the middle miles, and then motivate you through to the end. The race web site should give details of the pace groups, and check at registration where the pacers will be and what they will be wearing. Always introduce yourself to the pacers before the start of the race. Explain your goals and experience, and get to know your pacer. Typically, the pacers will have raced many marathons, but ask about their race strategy and previous experience pacing. For hilly courses, check how much they are intending to slow down and speed up on the hills to maintain an even effort. Ask about what they will do at aid stations; will the carry on at the same pace, slow down slightly, or walk through?
Don’t expect your pacer to be exactly on time as a variation of 10-15 seconds per mile, even on the flat, is quite possible. Also remember that GPS devices do not display current pace accurately, so rely on mile split times instead. If you need to stop for any reason, aim to catch up your pacer slowly. Remember, if you stop for 30 seconds, and pick up the pace by 10 seconds per mile, it will take you three miles to catch up. If you are running without a pace group and slow down later in the race, joining a pace group as they pass you can help you finish strong.
While a pace group helps, you need to be prepared for the race. Going out with a pace group that is too fast for you is no better than going out too fast on your own.
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Jonathan Savage is an ultrarunner based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been completed 38 ultramarathons since he started in 2005, including 7 first place finishes. Jonathan gives back to the running community by pacing marathons and maintaining http://fellrnr.com, a running advice web site.
