Other than aerodynamic drafting, I’m not clear on what pacemakers can do for a runner that they can’t do for themselves with wristwatch.
I’m also not clear what exactly was the wrongdoing that got all of these guys disqualified from the Beijing event. Was it the fact that they helped He Jie win (I guess by allowing him to draft them until near the end of the race)? Are there rules against that? Was it the fact that race officials were not made aware, prior to the race, that these guys were pacemakers? If the latter, how would organizers’ awareness of their status as pacemakers have made things OK?
The special committee said that four runners had originally been hired as pacemakers by a sponsor but that the main organizers of the race had not known this. One of the pacemakers didn’t finish the race.
Pacemakers are typically hired by the race to assist the frontrunners to maintain pace. They are not there to assist(such as drafting) one specific runner.
If the organizers didn’t know, it explains the scandal. Organizers typically pull the rabbits out a mile or two before the end of the race after a rabbit in the 1995 Houston Marathon went on to take first prize.
They were DQd because they were not pacers but competitors in the event.
I know someone pretty well who is an ultra marathon runner , race director and running coach. He has paced several women marathon runners when they were breaking various records in marathons.( his marathon times tend to be coming in ahead of the elite women winners) He was hired by the runners and in some cases flown to different countries to run the marathon as a pacer for the client. He was not hired by the event. From the pictures I have seen he has a number bib that specifically says “pacer” so it is something that is cleared with the race organizers. on several occasions there have been two pacers for the same person.
The role is to set and run a consistent pace which is important, also to provide coaching and metal support out on the course which is also quite important . Not sure if drafting is allowed , it probably is. The rules can change from race to race though and in some cases I am sure the race organizers hire generic rabbits to run at set pace.
Pacers are an expected aspect of ultrarunning, but typically not in any races shorter than that. They typically are only allowed on course after a set number of hours or miles, to assist the runners that are getting loopy/tired. When runners are on course for 20+ hours and in the dark and miles from an aid station, a pacer can be a safety measure. Runners will also group up, but pacers are more reliable.
In most cases, pacers are there for motivation, safety, companionship, and to help at aid stations. For the fastest runners they also help keep the speed up but for the majority they are just to keep the runner moving forward.
In the races I’m involved with, pacers don’t need bibs nor is there any need to register.
Probably the part about 3 of the runners being paid to let the other runner win. I watched the ending on youtube and it is thoroughly ridiculous. 4 runners crossing within a half second of each other, and a few seconds before this clip, the African runners were urging the Chinese runner to go up ahead.
It isn’t a competition if someone is choosing a winner, and nobody should be given an award for being the chosen winner.
As is usually the case with these little scandals, my questions are 1. who cares enough about this dinky little sport to even want to corrupt it in the first place and 2. who cares enough about this random schlub to rig the game for him. I mean, strongarming Michael Schumacher’s teammate into tanking was despicable, but I got that. Propping up some random Chinese runner makes about as much sense as throwing a cornhole tournament or point-shaving a UFL game. Seriously, what the hell am I missing here?
Additionally, if He Jie’s helpers really wanted him to win the race, wouldn’t it make a lot more sense to just not compete in it? I mean, look how far he was ahead of everyone else! He had this in the bag! He didn’t need any “pacemakers”, unless wind resistance was just that debilitating to him, which of course just makes the idea that anyone would consider him worthy of propping up even more ridiculous.
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