Should Pace Makers be allowed?

Flagpole, you're kidding, right? Or maybe someone stole your moniker?

If the pacer went out on AGREED-UPON splits then it's just too bad if the field doesn't go with him/her. I assume that the splits are somewhat determined by input from the contestants. It's simple to just not think of the rabbit as a pacer but as a fellow contender. If the rabbit can beat everyone else going at a reasonable pace then he's the best man and should win.

Now, I think that rabbits that are way off pace or run way uneven within laps/miles should not be hired again.

oh, i don't know about running not being presentable on TV. here's an example of how to do it correctly in a way that even the non-runner can appreciate. now add to dynamic coverage both enthusiastic race calling (a la horse racing) and intelligent commentary, instead of bob hammond talking about exhibition football in the berlin stadium and the ghosts of of adolph hitler and jesse owens, and I think our sport would be competitive with basketball.http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234894-2009-puma-mt-sac-relays/170760-m-mile-h01-puma-mile-trackside

Mike in HC wrote:

I was watching the Pre coverage last weekend and during one of the races, maybe the mens 5k, my wife commented that the guys were so far behind the leader, you could not see the leader. I told her that he was a pacer and had stepped off the track on the backstretch.

Funny that track does not have a bigger following? Not really.

And it definitely is not suited for TV. They cut to the shot put, show one throw and say 'and that throw wins the gold.' and that's it...

I agree with this. Once the pacer has done his job, it's up to field to carry on. If they're hanging back and the pacer has fulfilled his duty, then he's free to drop out, and should be free to go for it. If anything, I think it adds another level of excitement...'oh, look, the rabbit's going for it! Will the pack catch him?! Oh, he's done it, the rabbit's stole the show. Goes to show that sometimes the hare does win the race'.

WDC Runner wrote:

Flagpole, you're kidding, right? Or maybe someone stole your moniker?

If the pacer went out on AGREED-UPON splits then it's just too bad if the field doesn't go with him/her. I assume that the splits are somewhat determined by input from the contestants. It's simple to just not think of the rabbit as a pacer but as a fellow contender. If the rabbit can beat everyone else going at a reasonable pace then he's the best man and should win.

Now, I think that rabbits that are way off pace or run way uneven within laps/miles should not be hired again.

Flagpole wrote:

[quote]Citizen Runner wrote:

[quote]Flagpole wrote:

Pacers can be legal entrants

Actually, pacers *must* be legal entrants.

Which makes them entered contestants.

Case closed.

Of course, rabbits should be allowed. Runners train their asses off in this sport and should be allowed to run for time if that's what they, meet directors, and the rest of the field agree upon.

And of course rabbits shouldn't be allowed in major competitions like the World Championships and the Olympics - because those meets are about racing the field, not the clock.

Both rabbited and non-rabbited races can exist without necessitating the exclusion of the other.

And the problem with this sport has a lot more to do with the narrow-minded views of purists than it does with rabbits and record attempts.

Hey, here's an thought: since the 24 second clock in the NBA leads to artificially high scores, maybe we should get rid of that, get back to teams really competing like the good old days. And maybe we should call Kobe Bryant for traveling too. And stop with all this dunking foolishness. Yeah, that'd make the sport a sport again....

grand slam wrote:

and maybe almost impossible to enforce.

Bingo! It cannot be enforced. Argue for it or against it all you want, it's moot.

Nothing should change.

Part of the sport of running is to see how fast you can go...competition against the clock. Rabbits facilitate that.

Head to head competition is also part of the sport and that's what championships are about.

Championships can have rabbits but they have to qualify and make it through the rounds and agree to so it. That's rare.

Of course rabbits should be allowed to finish races as well as they can as long as they did their job. Contracting them to stop is just stupid and is really against the rules since they are supposed to be in the competition.

Pace Makers are why we had the first sub 4 minute mile. They shouldn't go anywhere

I would LOVE to see the NBA dump the 24 second clock.

Anyway it is not necessary to have rabbits if people want to run for time. They'd just run for time. And there's always a gray area where people in a race agree to share the work in hopes of getting a fast time. USed to happen all the time.

We'd have had them soon after we did even with no rabbits.