Pace Groups

Do any of you use a pace group in your races. I was thinking of following along the designated pace leader at my 1/2 on Sunday. I have my Garmin, but I think if I am running with someone at my goal pace, I have more of a chance mentally to stay on pace.

For the races that don't supply a "pace group", they usually have many folks who serve as "Pace Booty".... . I have heard, from a friend of course, that depending on your "Pace Booty" your goal times might be ammended.

LOL, That puts a whole new spin on the "getting me some booty" idea! I wonder how my husband would react to me telling him, I'm trying for a faster paced booty.

Yeah, I've kinda got a wierd sense of humor...but my hubby loves me anyway.

Katie

I have not used an official pace setter, but I have latched onto someone running a similar pace to what I was doing.  I then just matched them step for step.  It made it pretty nice for running.

We didn't have any conversation beause I was a couple steps behind them, but to "Draft" if you can call it that made for a several easier miles during the middle of the race.  I just kept saying if he can run, I can run and I'm not going to quit.  Luckily this guy was doing the full marathon, so he carried me most of the race, until they split off to cover some extra miles.

On to the booty!!!  My second half marathon was on halloween.  There were lots of costumed runners, I found this girl dressed in a Hooters waitress outfit, very short, shorts.  She was much faster than me, but I think I had my best 1 mile of any of them while trying to follow her.

Next years Rock N Roll marathon has pace setters and I plan to use one.  I want to get a sub 2 hour 1/2 marathon so I'm going to use every bit of help I can get.

Scott

I have only used a pace group once.  And that was at the Disney marathon.  My biggest problem was that I didn't start with the group since they were in a higher corral and I didn't latch onto them until mile 5.  I enjoyed the group once I got with them, but then at the funnel I lost them again and couldn't catch up to them again until mile 22, and at that point I didn't really want to be around a lot of people. 
The important thing to find out about a pace group, is are they pacing based on time or distance.  Some groups run faster and take walk breaks, and some go for the endurance.  I like the endurance groups more because I don't like to walk if I can help it.  The groups are a great way to meet people.
Have fun.
Rob

I have never used a pace group but at my first Disney, I was going back and forth with the 5 hour group until about the half way point.  There was a guy that was very animated acting kind of foolish and he was very annoying.  I ended finishing in about 5 1/2 hours and right at the finish, I caught the guy.  I guess that all his foolishness took a bit out of him.  He looked like he was dying.

I noticed that if you don't run with them, you want to be in front of them.  Certainly at Disney there were a millon people following the pace groups and if you wanted to go faster, it would be impossible. 

If you are training to run a pretty consistant pace, I would go for it and follow the group.  Rob is right that you will find people to talk too and that passes the miles better than anything.

They had pacers at the SJ Rock 'n Roll Half and I thought about using them but I couldn't find one that was running at my planned pace. They were either too fast or too slow.

I prefer to be more "go with the flow" anyway. I'd rather latch onto someone running at my pace or slightly faster and try to keep up rather than being with an official group. I guess I'm just a loner that way. (Which is weird because in training I'm all about the group workouts.)

Darrell,

I ran with a pace group for the first half of the Rochester Marathon and enjoyed letting someone else worry about the pace.  By running with the group, I didn't go out too fast on my fresh legs.

I tried running with a pace group for my first marathon in Philadelphia, but lost them after my first bout of gastric distress.  I foolishly tried to catch up with them, which was a costly mistake.

Cassie