Back in my time, I paced a few races, nothing world class, but helping a teammate get an NCAA qualifying mark. Sure, you should run the prescribed pace, but you may have to alter that. The pacer needs to have a clear plan from the race director. Let's not forget Tom Byers great pacing at the 1981 Bislett Games...he WON!
There was a very old runners world article on pacers back in the early 2010s. From my understanding, typically the contract bonuses are based on hitting specified splits for the race. However I’m not sure if that’s the norm, and who Fischer was the one who requested a fast pace, who knows if the race director spoke with Allen and told him to just keep the pace relatively honest/handle leading for the top guys
As a guy that has been reading runners' world since the early '80s, it pains me to see the early 2010s considered "very old".
Ben Allen is full of crap IMO. His job was to run the agreed upon splits. That was his job and he failed at it.
No where was it in his job description to concern himself with what Hole Cocker was doing.....no where.
Agree?
I'm sure ya enjoyed those women's races then. Lotsa ladies went out way ahead of the field, didn't check, ran their splits, didn't help a lick! Ben actually used his brain and some of y'all are hatin'!
Do we actually know that his agreement with the race director was only to run prescribed splits? I've never been a pacer, so I'm not sure how the conversation goes. It wouldn't surprise me, though, if the conversation is something like, "Run these splits, though if the field decides not to go with you and you've gapped them by xx meters for more than xx laps, adjust your pace and try to get them to reattach to you."
You're really adamant that Allen didn't do his job, when I'm not confident that we actually know what his instructions would have been if the field was hesitant. He may have done exactly as he was told.
If the pacer was paid specifically and only to run prescribed splits, he would have run the prescribed splits no matter what or he would likely not be paid.
He would not intentionally sacrifice being paid by dropping back and pacing the runners at whatever pace they wanted to run.
I don't believe the pacer was instructed to only run prescribed splits. Sure a fast pace was a goal, and he dropped back and to get someone to accelerate back up to the fast goal pace.
Pacers should not be penalized if the runners don't want to run at a prescribed pace. Runners sometimes choose to not go as fast as the pacer. But sometimes they choose to go faster than the pacer or faster than the pacer can go(seems like Gudaf Tsegay has done that).
Back in my time, I paced a few races, nothing world class, but helping a teammate get an NCAA qualifying mark. Sure, you should run the prescribed pace, but you may have to alter that. The pacer needs to have a clear plan from the race director. Let's not forget Tom Byers great pacing at the 1981 Bislett Games...he WON!
Do we actually know that his agreement with the race director was only to run prescribed splits? I've never been a pacer, so I'm not sure how the conversation goes. It wouldn't surprise me, though, if the conversation is something like, "Run these splits, though if the field decides not to go with you and you've gapped them by xx meters for more than xx laps, adjust your pace and try to get them to reattach to you."
You're really adamant that Allen didn't do his job, when I'm not confident that we actually know what his instructions would have been if the field was hesitant. He may have done exactly as he was told.
That's generally how it goes, yes. Especially at a meet like Millrose where it's more likely that athletes won't go with the pacer.