How Much Does Erik Sowinski Make as a Pacer?

Complimentary lunch AND dinner + a free pack of smokes.

I hope he's paid well. He's so damn good at it. When you pace a WR, I'm sure there's a bonus in there, too.

He ran faster in the 800 2 weeks ago than the winning time today. Would he have made more by winning the 800?

So he keeps training to be an elite pacer? I hope it's at least well into 6 figures minimum. You have to be in pretty good shape to pace those races. I barely recall he had one moment of brilliance years ago.

His career so far most would take. Three indoor USA championships. A world indoor championship medal. 15 straight indoor/outdoor USA championship 800 finals, couple gold world relay golds, 4x800 indoor world record and a lengthy career and still going...

Matt Scherer had interviews awhile ago about his $from pacing. Good place to start

Don't forget his epic 4x100 last summer!

Decades ago Runners World had an article about a pacer who had just retired.

He spoke specific numbers and it was decent money. Bonuses for doing your job right and if there was some kind of record- track, area, national, world, meet, etc

I also remember a Running Times (?) article about Lewis Johnson saying he made a decent living as a pacer.

Didn't he only actually "set" the pace for 100m in this race, after the first pacer pulled out? He does a fine job, but in Lievin he just followed another guy for 900m, then followed some lights for 100, then stopped.

Probably about as much as a bullpen catcher. Both are necessary to get the stars ready and in a good position to do their thing

True, GP races often employ two pacers and there are plenty of good pacers in Europe. At Millrose and most other major meets, though, Sowinski leads out the entire first k.

Is a dependable rabbit the back up quarterback of our sport?

There was a good piece a few years back about Jenny Meadows who was really enjoying doing some pacing and earning good money after her very successful career! 

$1K or $1M are not the same.

The pacer ahead of him created a small gap at one point, and Sowinski made sure the group had contact with him. That allowed Sowinski to close the gap vs the group doing that work. To me, that is both pacers doing their job. Not really a situation where Sowinski only set the pace for 100 meters.

Its always easier running world record pace, if you are not intending to finish.

You know Sowinkski fantasizes about Tom Byers and one day becoming the rabbit that wins the big race

I have it on good authority that the pay rate is roughly the same as a fluffer, you gotta be able to hold it for a big finish to make the big bucks.