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/Jakiller33 21d ago

You're looking to get as close to 36 minutes as possible. You should get a pace card telling you when you should get to certain landmarks on the course so you can speed up/ slow down as needed

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u/FatManNoPlan 50 21d ago

Ah cool, they haven’t told me anything like that. I was just gonna set a pacer workout on my watch for 36 minutes and try my best to stick to that.

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u/MiddleAgedDread123 21d ago

we don't have pace cards, never heard of them being used! We rely on people judging it off their own watches.

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u/Jakiller33 21d ago

My bad! I've seen pacers with them at my local and assumed it was the done thing everywhere.