Millrose Pacer responds: “field didn’t commit”

It happens. With a field that size, it was probably bound to come down to a kick.

Fantastic race. Wish Wolfe would have leaned out Kerr at the line, but it was entertaining from gun to tape.

In some ways, reminded me of the race between T. Bekele, Kipchoge and Farah from ages ago- sub-8 attempt which turned into a burn up

Unfortunately with Fisher pulling out there went the chance of anyone going with the pacer. And if Fisher does there is a domino effect and everyone else follows

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?

Disagree. Good pacers adjust.

The pacer doesn't matter if the racers are chickensh!t.

Codswallop. His agreement is with the Race Director to run prescribed splits. He actually buggered it up as much as Hole Cocker did.

If Ben Allen had run his prescribed splits he would have gapped the field and they would have gone around Hole to catch up to him.....the rabbit.

Yes?

Ah no...It was to follow the pace lights, but if the race did not keep pace he was to slow down, let them catch up and then pick up the pace again

You mean like this?

As someone who’s raced here, I’d argue people probably thought the wind was too much and when the pacer went out in 24 it was a wrap. Especially with colonial relays being the first week of April. This was the year after capwell got 2nd at NCAAS in the 8 too I think.

If you watch the race he did a excellent job, he was looking back to check on the field throughout. They didn't want to go for it.

Fisher not being there hurt the pace. Blanks waited until like 1K to push but it was too late at that point

Fischer, Ingebritsen and Girma walk into a bar and Arnold the bar man says: Run a mile in my shoes if you want to live. So they run 2 and he gives.them each a 7 up.

Good pacers do their job. They shouldn't adjust to anything other than hitting the agreed numbers.

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.

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

Were you in the technical meeting??

OK, maybe the meet director said 'this is the prescribed pace -- run those lap times no matter what.' Maybe.

Or, for all you know, the meet director told him 'If the field doesn't come with you, slow down and front-run. There's no point in you running 50 meters ahead of them.'

If he had 'done his job' by your definition, it would look terrible, highlighting the slow pace and lack of courage among the field in a curated WR-pace race. Once the time trial is off, the race is on. A smart meet director would like to switch off the embarrassing wavelights and get the ignored pacer off the track ASAP.

I can't tell if you guys are trolling... you have to be trolling.... right?

It's insanity to just have a rabbit go hit numbers if none of the racers follow.

100% the correct move by the pacer is to gauge the field and try to let them reel you in before pulling them along again.

Tell me you've never paced a competitive field without telling me you've never paced a competitive field. Yikes.

I paced a few races. Not Millrose, but still fast and professional. A coach offered me $200 to do it once, like an hour before the race. Told me to hit some splits. That was it. I did it and people followed. If no one had followed, I'm certain the coach would have been happy with me reconnecting and trying to get it going again.