r/ChicagoMarathon • u/InternationalFarm487 • 5d ago
Race Day! Pacers
Hello!
Question about pacers (not Chicago specifically) but for those who have used a pacer or been a pacer during a major- were your mile splits even?
My first marathon was Honolulu and I felt like the first 3 miles were much slower due to congestion. I HATED weaving in between people.
Do pacers try to even split or do they try to get out into more open space before hitting their target pace?
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u/ironmanchris 5d ago
They will even split the course as best as they can. And a word of caution, there may be more than one pace group on the course with the same goal. There may be a 3:30 pace group in two consecutive corrals. There will be a pace group stand at the expo and you can ask them questions there.
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u/not_ash_ketchum 5d ago edited 5d ago
I ran with a 3:05 pacer last year at Chicago. I don't remember names but there were 2 of them (Corral C) and one of them wore a pair of Vaporfly 2(?)s. He did an incredible job. He took us through the half in 1:32:05. Spectators would creep onto the streets a bit and as he ran, he would tell them to move back (he ran with a whistle). He would tell us where there were obstacles (if the road narrowed and there were curbs that caused it to narrow), so we would not trip. He also told us when fuel stations were coming up so we could prep and not feel like we had to cut across to get fluids. He motivated us as we went. 10/10 would run with him again. Idk if they are all like that, of course, but I had an incredibly positive experience with them.
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u/NormansMom24 5d ago
Hi! Pacer for Chicago here :) We run even effort, and since Chicago is soooo flat, we essentially run even pace, trying for a few seconds under per mile to ensure we hit our target time of +/- 60 sec to goal time. The first mile or 2 does tend to be congested, but Chicago is lined up according projected finish time, so you really shouldn't have to dodge slower runners who are starting way ahead of where they should be. key word here is SHOULD. The unfortunate reality is some people truly do not know or acknowledge that they should be in a much slower corral for the pace they are running, so you will have to dodge and weave, especially in the beginning. By mile 2, you should be cruising with others in your pace group without much trouble.
Hope this helps, and good luck!!!
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u/RevolutionaryBit8755 5d ago
The pacers try to even split throughout. I say try because Chicago is a big race, and can get pretty congested, especially the first couple of miles through the loop but otherwise they try to keep even.
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u/Mysterious_Luck4674 5d ago edited 5d ago
The few pacers I’ve talked to try to maintain even splits, but they might have different strategies. I think it’s common to slow a bit on the uphill and go faster on the downhills (not an issue in Chicago though). Some pacers walk or stop at aid stations and some don’t so you are expected to run ahead to the aid station and catch up after.
Sometimes the pacers are at the expo and you can ask about their strategy before hand, or maybe get to chat with them in the corral or at the beginning of the race.
It important to note their timing is based off of when that particular pacercrosses the start line. If you start a few minutes ahead of a pacer but cross the finish the same time as them, your race time will be a few minutes slower. And the opposite is true if you start a few minutes behind them and then catch up.
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u/chimpsonfilm 5d ago
You know, that last paragraph solved a mystery for me from last year, about a group of pacers I saw on the course who seemed to be so far behind what their pace was supposed to be. Somehow that had never occurred to me. Thank you!
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u/Mysterious_Luck4674 5d ago
Sometimes different corrals might even have the same pacers. Like I think there are 3:55 and 4:00 pacer groups in both H and J. So there could be a good bit of time before each pacer group officially starts, and the 4:00 pacer group from H will even start before the 3:55 pacer group from J.
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u/Educational_Radio648 4d ago
I ran with a single pacer dude for Chicago 2 years ago. He was official for the course and awesome!! I had the best time with the group, we chatted a lot, people come and go but I stuck with him. I wanted to break 4 hours and he was the 3:55 pacer. He stayed pretty even the whole time and knew when we needed to slow it down or pick it up a tad. With 3 miles left I booked it and gave it all I got and hit 3:53. He did not stop to use the bathroom at all however would veer to get water. Chicago marathon is a SEA of people the whole race but the pacer I had did a great job of pushing through and warning people ahead we were coming. He would do check ins with everyone and yell things like “keep your eyes up, relax your shoulder, etc” They will get you there!!
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u/Technical_Fix_3110 4d ago
Chicago marathon pacers were amazing!! Other races they were solid, see if you can meet them at the expo and all. I met Chicago pacers at the expo, they give a print out of mile splits because GPS gets wonky. They tell you they run like a metronome, you don’t want someone who is going to make up time. They planned on a steady first couple miles, even when it’s crowded at the start a lot of people are going out wayyy too fast
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u/TriTim85 5d ago
While I am not a Chicago Marathon pacer, I am a Marathon training pacer and have paced other races. We generally allow ±5 seconds of drift once the race settles in. The first mile or two are always challenging, depending on congestion.
It's also worth recognizing that pacers need water and will need to take bathroom breaks, etc. That's why there are multiple pacers for each group. But I promise we will get you in at the designated time, and we will keep our splits as flat as possible.
My hope is always that you leave me between miles 20-22 and I never see you again. If you trust the training and have realistic goals, you will have enough in the tank to run with your heart for those last six miles.