| Amateur Star-Light |
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Pretty simple question outlined in the thread title. I just graduated college a year ago and have decent PRs in the 400 and 800. Can I become a great pacer? There's no doubt in my mind that I can do a 49 consistently. My question is: how do I become a world class pacer? |
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Matt who? |
| Running on Empathy |
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1. Volunteer to pace for free 2. Establish a track record (pun intended) of flawless pacing 3. ??? 4. PROFIT!!! |
| #5 Matt Scherer Fan |
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Matt ran 45.2 in college and 1:46.3 as a post-collegiate before turning to full time rabbit work. With a few years of work and lowering your PRs, maybe you could be as consistent as he is. |
| a;sldfj |
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maybe lower your pr's a little more. for example, tangui has like 47.0 and 1:49.3 pr's. Get those, then do what the guy before me said. |
| Amateur Star-Light |
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I think lowering my PRs is obviously the first step. I'm happy with my speed at this point, though I think I could work to dip below 47. Obviously, dropping 3 seconds for the 800 in a year is very, very difficult. But I was always more of a 400/800 guy, with a strong focus on the 400. With a good base this fall, and very 800 specific training through the winter, I think I can get to under 1:51 by spring, and hopefully dip below 1:50 in the summer. After I get my PRs faster (let's say I go 46 high and 1:49 high, I know it will be difficult, but I'm willing to work), what is the next step? Who can I contact to begin rabbiting lower key races? For what it's worth, I have a lot of freedom to train right now. I work full time at a very easy job for a decent wage. But I have the ability to train twice a day if need be. There's never been an issue for me getting the training in. Both my PRs are from this past spring. This is something I'm actually interested in pursuing. I believe I have the talent to go under 1:50 and under 47. I'm no world burner, but I believe I can get to the performance level I'll need to be at to rabbit. I guess I need advice on the logistical aspect of rabbiting. How does one break into the business? |
| Impressive Pacing |
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Why not try to contact Matt Scherer himself? He is an easy guy to talk with, even does some internet coaching if Iremember correctly. He is with the Oregon Track Club Elite in Eugene. You should be able to find a link from the Oregon Track Club website. |
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Matt paces over 400m, generally 500m. So, you would would need to go 49 for 400m and 62. for 500m. To get very consistent, 49 would need to be very easy for you. You could wake up and run a comfortable 49 anytime of the week, even when you're not feeling well. A 53 second quarter is probably real easy for you - imagine a 49 feeling that easy. Also, one of Matt's great attributes is that he is so large a breaks a truck-full of wind. He is 6'2" and 180lb. If you are 5'10" and 155, you might not get a lot of call backs. |
| Amateur Star-Light |
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These are good points. You're definitely right. At this point in my career, 49 is a real effort. But I'm not looking to be a rabbit next year. I realize it will take several years of training. For what it's worth, I'm confident that I can run a 49 pretty much any time I try--it just won't be easy. But hopefully, after a year+ of more specific training, I will be able to do it while eating a candy bar. I'm actually of decent build, 6-1 168, last time I weighed in. It's interesting that you brought up the size thing, because it's actually one of the things that made me think I might have a career in rabbiting. Matt is a big boy. I'm not quite as big, but I think I could break the wind decently for some of the smaller 800 dudes out there. |
| Scarves |
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One thing I think bears mentioning is that you're probably not going to start off rabbiting Rudisha (shocker, I know), so you're not going to have to pace a 48-49 right off the bat. In the beginning, you'll be pacing American meets, which'll go out a bit slower, especially in the low-key ones you'll start out with. |
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And also just taking the field out in 49 is not enough. It needs to be able to be a pretty much even split 49. so like people mentioned earlier, very relaxed. And with guys getting faster and faster and wanting to go out in 48.5, that means you have to go out in around 47.5-48.00 so that they go out in 48.5. Not many people can run 12.00 for 5 100s in a row. And that is pretty much what you have to train to be able to do. |
| sdlv nlszkfsf |
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not really. even in paced races the first 200 is always the fastest. your typical 1:44 race will probably go something like 24, 26, 26, 26 with the decimals adding the extra two seconds. id say that while working on getting your pr's down, just volunteer to pace high level college 800s and other such races just to get experience. even if you're running slower knowing what it takes to execute a good pacing job will be good experience and will help you get a reputation |
| Abraham Lincoln |
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We're proud of our native Illinois son, Matthew Scherer. |
| Impressive Pacing |
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Excellent thread. If you really want to know more about Matt Scherer's history as a Pacer, here is a wepage that lists his history of races, his blog and etc. http://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=137 |
| A Big Fan of Matt Scherer |
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Matt's agent is Chris Lane of Total Sports Management, Johnson City, Tennesse. Chris should get a lot of the credit for working with Matt and various meet managers to find opportunities for Matt to showcase as a pacer. Matt is not scheduled to pace again until the Birmingham, England meet after the Olympics ends. |