Pace Bunny!

Yup, I'm going to be a pace bunny at the Chilly Half Marathon on March 3rd here in Burlington.   I will be guiding anyone that's looking to finish in 2:15.  I'm pretty excited about it.   It's the first time I've ever done this so I want to do it well.  The bonus to being a pacer is that you run for free.  

The route is flat and fast and they have a great Mizuno jacket included in the race kit.

I'm taking this seriously because I know how people rely on pacers to achieve their goals.

Here's my plan:

1.  First and foremost, finish on time!

2.  I'll get a pace band so that I can make sure that I hit the check points on time during the run.  I know what pace I need to maintain for a 2:15 finish, but having a pace band will give me and my team the reassurance that we're on track as we hit the markers on the route.

3.  Offer encouragement and fun and positive reinforcement!

4.  I'll find out whether this is a first race for anybody running with me or whether they're running this for a PB so I can keep an eye on them.

5.  I'll check in with them on a regular basis during the run to see how they're doing.

6.  Before the race starts, I'll let them know what my race strategy is.   I'm the continuous 2:15 pacer so I won't be doing run/walks.  If anyone wants to walk through the aid stations, I'll do that, but we'll have to pick up the pace for a bit to get back on track.

7.  Make sure they're fueling and hydrating properly.

8.  With 5K left, I'll tell the runners that are feeling good to pick up their pace.  For those that are still with me with 1K left, I'll encourage them again to pick up their pace if they have anything left.  Who knows, maybe they'll all come in faster than 2:15.   That would make me happy.

9.   Go back to anyone who may have fallen off the pace and give them encouragement to keep on running.

I think I've got the bases covered.    Should I get a cute bunny outfit or is that a bit much?