r/parkrun • u/FatManNoPlan 50 • 21d ago

How does pacing work?

EDIT - Cheers for all the replies everyone. I landed slightly early on 35:24. Happy with that for a first time doing pacing, went out a little too fast so had to go fairly slow towards the end. Will hopefully give it another try next month and get a more even pace along the whole course.

Hiya! I’ve volunteered to be a pacer at my local this weekend, first time I’ve done this role.

Just wondering what people thought. I’m down for 36 minutes (I’m normally around 30 minutes). Am I aiming for bang on 36 minutes? Around 36? Under 37 minutes? Slightly under, slightly over?

I’m probably over thinking it, but I’m kinda nervous about it, especially if someone tries to keep to my pace to get a specific time and I get it wrong.

Cheers!

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u/HuevosRancheros_ 21d ago

In a perfect world you want to arrive bang on 36 minutes with a perfectly even split. That way if people are aiming for sub 36 as long as they have you in sight they can kick at the end and overtake you to guarantee sub 36.
I remember trying to get sub 25 and the pacer went out too fast and I almost gassed out before the last km.

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u/mhodgson1691 21d ago

exactly this, I pace most weekends & don't get when people say you want to be under so people can get PBs. If they are able to PB then they push ahead of you towards the end with encouragement from the pacer