Before you read further, I just want to remind you that a friendlier version of similar post has been created in 2017, I have hidden all other posts after so that it appears as the post before this, for your convenience. A Pacer's tale
If you choose to stay on to read (which I know you would anyway), do note this post doesn't care about your feelings and the author has an attitude just like that.
So it began with the haze, the haze was bad, so bad that most people thought history would repeat itself and KLSCM (formerly called SCKLM) would be cancelled, and because most people can't train during this time, maybe some (or many?) did secretly hope that the race is cancelled. But to all participants, they have the excuse to NOT meet target, but not for a special bunch of runners, they are hired to do one job and ONLY one job: to pace runners to finish the race at the timing they signed up for, the Pacers. They suffered the same haze situation like anyone else, being unable to train during the heavy haze for almost a month, no matter how fit you are, being unable to stick to the training schedule that you set up to ensure you are fit enough to deliver the job, will somehow affect your fitness level, and to some extend, your confidence level too.
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| How to train la bro... |
Now, I am not here to talk about the race I paced, I am writing in response to the Whatsapp and Facebook post ultra-marathon that has continued for at least 100 hours, gossips from banana peels left behind along the DUKE highway, runners got hit and run, runners cheating, DNFers claiming finisher item to pacer's horrible performance, along with funny MEME or stickers created by "runners".
For runners, the race is over, you got your result (good or bad), then you also somewhat witnessed the performance of the pacers that you followed, there are things you may have already known (but I am going to remind you anyway) and there are things that you don't see from your angle, I am going to address one by one in response to what I have heard, read and experienced:
1. "Pacers gone too fast from the start". I hear this a lot, like almost every time I paced, I get this directly from the runners I passed or sometimes, from pacers too. Look, "fast" is relative in the eyes of the viewer, when someone passed you, they sure look fast, but that doesn't mean they are extremely fast, in other words: you are slow, face it. While there is no fixed rule on pacing, a positive split pacing in my opinion is more realistic for most runners, especially for KLSCM route in which 1st half is relatively flat and 2nd half is more hilly and with heavier human traffic at water station.
My comment on this ? 1st of all if your eyes can tell someone is going at 4 mins pace, you don't need GPS watch, obviously you can't, but you can complaint as though you know it all, duh. Secondly, if pacer going slow 1st half and gone faster in 2nd half, you probably won't be able to keep up, take 4 hours marathon for example, if you can't run 1st half comfortably in 1:58 hrs, you probably not ready for it, reality hurts, but instead of blaming 5:30min/km pace as too fast, check in.
How do you avoid this? If you are serious about your finishing target, please don't wait until race day to look for the balloona, someone sure know one of the pacer to connect you to them and you can ask all the questions you want before the race to get clarity on how each of your pacer will pace, may be you will find the right pacer that fits your expectation. I am glad some runners did send message to me asking about training plan, tips on hydration and nutrition, who is the better pacer to follow for his/her target (ahem, I have my favourites too.) and sometimes I get to advise if the runner is aiming for unrealistic finishing or could actually be more adventurous when they shared their recent race performance and training data.
If you have not done that, don't KPKB when the pacer doesn't pace according to your expectation. You may not like the pacer's pacing strategy, doesn't give you the right to criticize, ask yourself: Who is the pacer now and who knows better in finishing a race at designated timing ?
My comment on this ? 1st of all if your eyes can tell someone is going at 4 mins pace, you don't need GPS watch, obviously you can't, but you can complaint as though you know it all, duh. Secondly, if pacer going slow 1st half and gone faster in 2nd half, you probably won't be able to keep up, take 4 hours marathon for example, if you can't run 1st half comfortably in 1:58 hrs, you probably not ready for it, reality hurts, but instead of blaming 5:30min/km pace as too fast, check in.
How do you avoid this? If you are serious about your finishing target, please don't wait until race day to look for the balloona, someone sure know one of the pacer to connect you to them and you can ask all the questions you want before the race to get clarity on how each of your pacer will pace, may be you will find the right pacer that fits your expectation. I am glad some runners did send message to me asking about training plan, tips on hydration and nutrition, who is the better pacer to follow for his/her target (ahem, I have my favourites too.) and sometimes I get to advise if the runner is aiming for unrealistic finishing or could actually be more adventurous when they shared their recent race performance and training data.
If you have not done that, don't KPKB when the pacer doesn't pace according to your expectation. You may not like the pacer's pacing strategy, doesn't give you the right to criticize, ask yourself: Who is the pacer now and who knows better in finishing a race at designated timing ?
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| Did you talk to your pacers on their pacing strategy? |
2. "How come Pacers didn't finish the race as the stated timing on balloon"(plus another 2000 words of nasty comments). We hear this more often this week, simply because many of us didn't finish the race at targeted timing. If you read my 2017 post, you would know that anything that could possibly gone wrong for anyone, may go wrong for pacer too on race day. Pacers have life too, it could be a busy week with little rest, I myself woke up with a feeling of throwing up which I have no explanation to it, I have had diarrhea during the race, my watch had frozen screen too.
We are not bullet proof, and sometimes we make mistakes, aren't runners the nicest and most positive group of people? Some days are just not the right day to deliver the perfect pace, maybe what you could offer is a little bit more compassion to the "failed" pacer, like how we comfort you when you failed to meet your target. Trust me, we feel bad and sorry more than you can tell, some may even have sleepless night for 4 nights now...
One day, when you become a pacer, you will know how much pressure a pacer carries on the shoulder to deliver your goal.
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| Even computer makes mistakes |
3. "Actually I also can be pacer ma, may be not the fast pace group, I certainly can do below 6 hours!". You got half the picture, able to run and finish a full marathon below certain hours do not equivalent to ability to pace. I have covered this in 2017 post, may be a bit more elaboration here, take example of a 6:00 hours marathon, I can do a 4:30 hours marathon does not mean I qualify to be a 6:00 hrs pacer, it takes consistency and patience, and if I have runners who contacts me 3 months before the race asking for training tips on 6:00 hrs, I am not sure if I can be of service since my training is not for 6:00 hrs.
4. "Do we follow gun time or nett time as pacer?" In KLSCM case, we follow gun time, whether you like it or not, yeah we are doing gun time. You didn't know about it? why didn't you ask about it to the pacers or to the organizer?
There is reason for this: runners will not know the pacers' nett time because pacers cross the starting line at different timing as most people, so how can you be sure when you are following the pacers (for some reason you got pushed to the front) at the end you are going to finish the same time as the pacers' nett time.
Take my case for example, I crossed the starting line 50s after flag off, and I have always picked up runners who ran faster and crossed the starting line earlier than I did, IF I am doing a nett 4:00 hrs, this runner may come back 4:00:15 simply because he/she started the race earlier than me. Following the Gun time however, will make sure everyone on the same page, it may take extra effort for pacers to catch up the Gun Time, but it is not going to be so big impact when you are spreading it across 42KM.
There is reason for this: runners will not know the pacers' nett time because pacers cross the starting line at different timing as most people, so how can you be sure when you are following the pacers (for some reason you got pushed to the front) at the end you are going to finish the same time as the pacers' nett time.
Take my case for example, I crossed the starting line 50s after flag off, and I have always picked up runners who ran faster and crossed the starting line earlier than I did, IF I am doing a nett 4:00 hrs, this runner may come back 4:00:15 simply because he/she started the race earlier than me. Following the Gun time however, will make sure everyone on the same page, it may take extra effort for pacers to catch up the Gun Time, but it is not going to be so big impact when you are spreading it across 42KM.
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| The only timing that can be aligned is Gun Time |
5. "Why the pacers obviously off pace already still continue to pace?" As I said before anything that can go wrong, may go wrong for pacers too, if a pacer forgot to take medication and decides to screw up your race, then it is better for you to take on the race on your own, don't allow yourself to be a victim and cry about it after the race. Of course, you have the right to complain to the organizer or write a viral post about it.
Note this, pacers are not responsible for your finishing goal, they are responsible for their targeted pace, you still need to do your homework on your pacing strategy, maybe a Plan A to follow pacers, Plan B in the case of something gone wrong you have drop pace, Plan C something is wrong with the pacers you have to leave them behind etc.
If you are aspired to be a pacer in near future, know this, You have one job to deliver, that is the target finishing time, unless someone needs your urgent attention (fainted, serious cramp, accident...), you move on with your pace toward the finishing line, even if that means leaving your team mate behind. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS, not even looking good with make up, perfect hair style or unique fashion, finish the job like your life (and reputation) depends on it.
I have a reputation of not pacing in group, I have a plan, I execute it, that's all it is. (and I also have a reputation on delivery of the target pace). To answer the question of why pacer still continue to pace, I don't know the answer, did you try to ask them? Maybe the pacer already informed the followers that he/she is off the duty now and you come from behind not aware of it? Maybe the pacer forgot to cut the balloon loose ?
Note this, pacers are not responsible for your finishing goal, they are responsible for their targeted pace, you still need to do your homework on your pacing strategy, maybe a Plan A to follow pacers, Plan B in the case of something gone wrong you have drop pace, Plan C something is wrong with the pacers you have to leave them behind etc.
If you are aspired to be a pacer in near future, know this, You have one job to deliver, that is the target finishing time, unless someone needs your urgent attention (fainted, serious cramp, accident...), you move on with your pace toward the finishing line, even if that means leaving your team mate behind. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS, not even looking good with make up, perfect hair style or unique fashion, finish the job like your life (and reputation) depends on it.
I have a reputation of not pacing in group, I have a plan, I execute it, that's all it is. (and I also have a reputation on delivery of the target pace). To answer the question of why pacer still continue to pace, I don't know the answer, did you try to ask them? Maybe the pacer already informed the followers that he/she is off the duty now and you come from behind not aware of it? Maybe the pacer forgot to cut the balloon loose ?
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| Pacer has one job: to deliver the pace |
6. "To cut or not to cut balloon?" This is probably the hardest decision a pacer has to make, I want to talk about it because one day you may have to answer this yourself. I am always ready to cut balloon, preparing for the worst is the minimum what a pacer should do, I don't mean you sign up as pacer with the mindset to cut balloon,
I mean, knowing that things can go wrong, make cutting balloon as easy task to perform. I suggest never to tie a dead knot and tie the balloon where it is easy to access. That is why I always tie a live knot and keeping the balloon near my arms, as you can see from this photo, this time, I was more ready to lose the balloon given my morning sickness condition, LOL!
Back to the question, again, there is no hard rule, but once upon a time, there was a coach, the coach said that if you are 5 mins off pace for your target, then you should cut the balloon, remove your pacer bid and if possible, prepare an extra shirt (I know, I won't carry too) which you are change into, then runners will not blindly follow you (unless they just want to follow you anyway because you are so good looking or smells so good!). That was the coach's guidance.
For me, it depends on which target you are pacing, a 5 mins gap is probably not so difficult to catch up with 12KM to go in the race for a 6:00 hours pacer, but a 3 mins gap is certainly a tough task to catch up with 12KM to go for a 4:00 hours pacer, that is 15s faster per min per km, that would mean running a 5:25min/km pace for final 12 KM, which even if you can make it, you probably not going to see anyone following behind. So, I would say, make a good judgement yourself as a pacer, if you know you can't catch up the gap, even if it is just 1 min gap with 3KM to go, be responsible, tell runners who follow you the truth, inform them what are their options and what is your plan, and let them decide if they really like your smell.
If you see pacer who is obviously not in the pacing mode (walking, chitchatting, taking photos...) but still carrying balloon and wearing the pacer bib, maybe he/she is trying to keep the balloon for a promise made to a child at home, you can help by gently reminding him/her to take off the pacer bib and I won't comment if he/she should remove the pacer vest. My fellow pacer buddy reverse his vest to wear, I think that may work too.
Bottom line, make an announcement to your followers, let them make an informed decision, they may not like it, but they should understand it. For pacer, you may not like it, but please don't spoil pacer's image, lose the balloon if you have to, don't be bad apples.
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| Tie balloon in a way that it is easier to cut loose |
7. "GOSSIPS" Not wanting to quote example for this, but I heard too many gossips in the past 100 hrs, myself guilty for being part of the gossips too. That's the part a pacer has to live with, no matter how well you deliver, there will always be someone pick on your performance (too fast too slow too serious too short too fat whatever...).
Netizens are not going to be friendly, it is always easier to point finger and add more juicy stories on top of what is the truth, sometime nasty comments may come from your own team, you need to learn to live with that and deal with that negative feelings.
For those like to comment on something they "hearsay" but not really knowing the truth, the least you can do is try not to add your personal assumption (I know, I like to play Detective Conan myself too) and speak (or type) as though it is the truth. But then again, who am I to tell you what to do?
For those like to comment on something they "hearsay" but not really knowing the truth, the least you can do is try not to add your personal assumption (I know, I like to play Detective Conan myself too) and speak (or type) as though it is the truth. But then again, who am I to tell you what to do?
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| Everyone loves this, information is power |
8. "Runners who cheated in the full marathon." This almost certain become the next hot topic after the pacers' performances are audited. Now that everyone can check anyone's result as long as you have the names or the bib number, you can be the detective to find out who actually cheated in the race.
Look, it is really none of our business, someone who cheated in the race, unless it prize related, it is not our social responsibility (but u can go and sweep the banana peels if you want) to track and expose someone's act, they didn't commit a crime, they simply broken the rules of the event. They will have to live with the fact that they cheated on a race, but we are not the judge, it is between them and their higher superior.
I myself spotted a few friends running with bibs not registered under their own name, they took the risk they know what they did, I may gossip about it but it is not necessary to put a viral post about it. Likewise for a failed pacer, they have family and friends that love them, making them look bad doesn't make you look great. You may however drop a personal message to the person, hopefully the person will remorse and offer you a really good meal, ah then you may feel great! If the person doesn't reply you, unfriend the person on Facebook !!! (yes, as though that is going to make the person disappear from your life) :D
Look, it is really none of our business, someone who cheated in the race, unless it prize related, it is not our social responsibility (but u can go and sweep the banana peels if you want) to track and expose someone's act, they didn't commit a crime, they simply broken the rules of the event. They will have to live with the fact that they cheated on a race, but we are not the judge, it is between them and their higher superior.
I myself spotted a few friends running with bibs not registered under their own name, they took the risk they know what they did, I may gossip about it but it is not necessary to put a viral post about it. Likewise for a failed pacer, they have family and friends that love them, making them look bad doesn't make you look great. You may however drop a personal message to the person, hopefully the person will remorse and offer you a really good meal, ah then you may feel great! If the person doesn't reply you, unfriend the person on Facebook !!! (yes, as though that is going to make the person disappear from your life) :D
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| They made a choice, you make yours |
I think I have shared enough in this post, I may update the post when I think of anything more to add on, do drop by from time to time to check if more stories are being added, maybe. If there is something you would like to hear my 2 cents, write in the comment, I may add in some time later.
Note: at the time writing (editing), KLSCM has announced a survey to get participants' comments using a trustworthy vendor, if you have any good suggestion, please don't keep on your Facebook post, send them to KLSCM. It may be invalid sometime later, so do it quick!
Lastly, race is race, friendship is friendship, please do not kill a friendship over a race, I look forward to see you in next marathon, or may be during weekend LSD. :D
The author is a 2019 KLSCM pacer, what was written is purely his own gossips, he doesn't care if you agree or disagree, because he gets to take picture with UnderArmour ambassadors and you cannot, :D
Some previous reports on pacers:
