Race commentary

How will you be viewing the race? The problem so many commentators have is that they usually only see the front pack, so they cannot give much detail on anybody chasing.

That will be the case again here. There will be remote cameras for the lead men and women, but not necessarily chase packs. I and the PbP announcer will be viewing on monitors and possibly getting phone and text feeds from spotters on the course. Not sure what we will have for visual feedback of mile/kilometer splits.

Make sure to advise viewers to head down to the local high school track and see if they can complete one lap at the pace the leaders are running.

I may do that as an inside joke...just once, though. Not twice per mile.

You might get the names of elite runners in the field, background on them and comment on who is not where you think they should be and what is the reason. Interviews beforehand might help you with this. That is how the good TV guys do it in major sports.

A commentator should ride a bike in the lead pack and babble into his or her iPhone mic.

Steve Martin, I will spend a few hours conducting interviews pre-race as well as researching bios on the front of the pack. There are generally around 15 in each race worth paying attention to in terms of contending for the podium. I also like to highlight runners with local connections, so I'll dig a little deeper on some runners even if they might not run for the win.

I did the biking and babbling thing for a few years on my own. It works in a pinch. We have the resources to go beyond that this time around.

Be sure to work in some discussion of leg turnover.

Toni Reavis - the finish at Chicago 2010 was good

I like Brendan Foster and Steve Cram, don't know a good example vid to link though

I like the Australian commentators at the 2000 Olympics - the Geb vs. Tergat battle was good

Leg turnover...longer legs always win. Got it! haha

Thanks for the examples. Steve Cram and Toni Reavis...enjoy both of them.