Sounds like some really stellar communication between race officials, agents and athletes on this:
In a mild disagreement with his manager, Michel Boeting, Rotich said he thought that the race would have pacemakers when he agreed to run, saying that he only found out about it by reading a running message board on the internet. Boeting reminded him of a conversation where he told him that it was "looking like" Chicago wasn't going to use pacers this year. Rotich wasn't sure.
"Midway, they decided that there were no pacemakers," Rotich insisted. "I just read this on LetsRun.com about no pacemakers in Chicago." He added: "It didn't change my mind or my progress. If there are pacemakers or not pacemakers It's doesn't change my plan. I am focusing on two things: one is to run a good time and to win the race."