Why are the rabbits so stupid?

It's not the rabbit's fault if the runners decide not to follow the pre-determined pace.

You should learn how the elite running world works.

Johnny Longdick wrote:

It's not the rabbit's fault if the runners decide not to follow the pre-determined pace.

You should learn how the elite running world works.

It's the RABBITS who are not following the pace, they are there to assure a fast overall race, i.e. even pacing, not guaranteeing slow times to whoever follows their suicide sprints.

and you're privy to exactly what splits this rabbit was supposed to run?

The rabbit for last week's 2-mile in Boston went through the first few laps way too fast, but the field should have been right next to him when he dropped out after covering the mile in ~4:04. Those guys are capable of running 2 miles at that pace.

Given how the race turned out, though, I don't think anyone present that night could have asked for a more exciting race.

Contrary to what you seem to think about rabbiting in such a race. The meet organizers or the runners in the race typically always discuss what the pace is going to be. I have to imagine that each of the runners understood what the pace was going to be before they started. With this caliber of field I have to guess that the rabbit was going to go thru atleast 1:55 for the first 800m. So, considering there are very few tracks to practice on in which to be able to hit the time perfectly it is safe to say the organizers encouraged him to be a little quick vs slow. Since, I have rabbited a few races in which I had to come thru between 1:51 to 1:54, I will say that it is easy to get excited and run a little fast. All in all I would have to give the rabbit a B+ for his efforts.

I once rabbited 800 of a mile that was supposed to go 3:50ish with another rabbit continuing through 1200. I talked to the 'star' of the race and the second rabbit beforehand, they both wanted me to run 1:54-1:55 with a :56 first lap. At the start, I got a little boxed and had to make a surge on the corner to retain the lead, ended up running the first 200 around :27, but other than that the pace was exactly what they asked for: 56.xx, 1:55.xx. However, beyond 200m into the race, there was never anyone within 15m of me, even as I was running :58-:59ish pace in the second lap. I continued to look back, confused, wondering if my splits were okay. Down my last straightaway I had probably 25-30m on the rest of the field and felt like a complete douche. I had always given shit to the rabbit in races where he completely runs away from the field and I felt like a fool for doing exactly that even though I did what I was told. The winner ran 3:53 or 3:54. Cool, but not 3:50 cool.

Point of the story: it might not be the rabbit's fault for going out way faster than the field.

I think the most important thing with pace-setting is the first 150m of the race. Ive done some big races (a 3.32 1500m, a 3.31 1500m and a 1.44 800) and found the key lies in letting the runners run the first 100m basically unpaced. Then, as they settle and sort themselves out can you come in and start pulling them through. Too often rabbits get excited and worried about getting out hard, and blast of the line. All this does is give the impression to the field that the pace will be suicide and so they back off. Put it this way, if you want to run a 56, its better to go 14.5,14.0,14.0,13.5 for the 100m splits than 12.5 etc etc which is what a lot of guys do.

Thanks to the last couple of posters for their insights, (as opposed to the typical ad hominem responses of the first couple). I have watched many paced races from the Euro circuit, and the men's races usually seem very well executed. I wonder if the fact that it is still early February and a lot of the athletes have a poor assessment of fitness is a factor?

I just checked Angweni's result from the Galan 1000 the night before, which was 2:22.22, which means that at millrose he was essentially running all-out at race pace, considering the likely slower track at MSG. So he was racing instead of pacing, and perhaps a little over his head and driven by fear (easy to do when the second-fastest 1500 guy ever is hanging on your tail). Things worked out fine for Bernard,; not so good for the others.

HELLO? It's a rabbit! How smart do you think rabbits are? They are SUPPOSED to be dumb.

In a decent size field, that is a great idea to let the field run the first 100 itself and then take over.

one thing about kip (i've had the pleasure to pace for him once) is that he didn't seem to like to sit right on top of the pacemaker (i'm a little bigger so maybe that was why), which caused me to slow just a touch b/c i couldn't understand why he wasn't right on me (we weren't running that fast, right around 59). thus, it behooves a pacemaker to keep the pace, even if the athletes aren't right on top of them, as they may like to have a litle "safety room" to avoid any possible mishaps. this would especially be a concern at MSG. finally, kip knows he can still manage an acceptable half after an inital "gins blazin'" pace- thus he has elkanah go hells bells and buts KB in debt right away, the race is over just like that. smart move on kips part, i think he ran the perfect race for the situation that KB presented.

dude-

and found the key lies in letting the runners run the first 100m basically unpaced. Then, as they settle and sort themselves out can you come in and start pulling them through.

That's generally a fine idea, but it is really hard to overtake on the short track. Especially at the start of a crowded race, and especially when everyone is running fast anyway. At Millrose, it is a ridiculously short 11 to the mile -- so those guys have about 5 seconds on each straightaway or corner.

exactly. who is going to be the runner who gets to pick the pace for this field? lagat. while the pace may have been slightly faster (56 v. maybe a target of 57ish) than aimed for - we'll never know for sure - lagat didn't seem to have much problem with it: he stayed right with the pacer. lagat isn't going to want to set out at a pace to ensure the exciting race the original poster wanted - he wants to win. and if you know his history with laban rotich - who he describes as "sneaky" for rotich's propensity to sit and kick and beat lagat - and the presence of another guy who likes to kick (silva) in the field, you will begin to realize that perhaps this pace was more by design than accident. and KB? early pace like that in a debut mile would put anyone to bed, even him.

GerrytheJogger wrote:

HELLO? It's a rabbit! How smart do you think rabbits are? They are SUPPOSED to be dumb.

But they are smarter than you.