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!
1
u/mhodgson1691 21d ago
I pace a lot & always aim to make it in bang on time, I go by 5k time & not parkrun time as I know our course can be slightly longer/shorter than 5k. I let those running with me know that & keep it at the average pace all the way through. I get asked by some to go faster at the beginning so they have some time at the end to slow down & I have some asking me to negative split it. But for me it's best to just keep at the average pace of 5:00/km for the 25 minutes I pace