Pacer Support Guide · Part 27 of 33
The Race Start and Cross-Checking Pace With Your Team
Resist the urge to race ahead in the first kilometres, and stick to the plan even when runners drop off — others are counting on you.
Marcel Lennartz
1 min read
Updated
Race start#
- Resist the urge to race ahead. Do not run faster than the strategy plan during the first few kilometres. You are an experienced runner and this pace is easy for you, but the runners following you are pushing their limits – a fast start can turn into a painful finish.
- Conserving is key. By running slower at the beginning you are not losing time; you are fuelling up strategically. The body needs time to absorb nutrients and fluids early on, and this fuel will be the runners’ lifeline in the final kilometres – especially on the course’s major bridges or climbs.
Cross-check pace with your team#
- Each pacing group has a dedicated leader and two support pacers. The leader sets the pace at the front, while the other pacers monitor that the correct pace is being run. If in doubt, discuss (see when watches display different results).
- Even if the runners following your group cannot keep up, you must stick to the planned pace. Other runners may join you along the way; if you do not hold the pace, they will get a wrong idea of their expected finish time.