Talk:Pacemaker (track)

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[edit] who is

who is the rapidly tiring Ohio runner?

That's Tom Byers, I wanted to know more about him too, so I have put up a request on the requested articles page. There's an interresting article here[1], but theres not enough information to make a biographical article. Bfg 20:12, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] In General

Not being a runner, I have difficulty understanding all the concepts and vocabulary. It all seems very interesting, but I don't get it. I would like to humbly request that the author be more informative to the lay person.

I find some of this confusion humorous, which is to say, I'm laughing at my own ignorance. So please, forgive my light-hearted approach, and try to see how someone outside your circle would find this puzzleing.

How does the leader of the first section of a middle distance race ensure a fast time? Unless they were all standing still, somebody is going to be the leader. So how does the fact that some runners are faster than others ensure a fast time? Why wouldn't there be a fast time anyway, who enters a race to go slow? What is tactical racing, and why is it to be avoided? In the first paragraph, the first sentance defines the pacemaker as the leader, but the last sentance says it is otherwise.

The second paragraph talks about 'fastest over the whole distance' and 'fastest finisher' as if these aren't the same. What's the difference, and why wouldn't you want the winner to be the winner? Then you say a lapped competitor may not act as a pacemaker? How do they determine a pacemaker? If nobody is following his pace, then how can he be a pacemaker?

Moreover, I found the third paragraph on the incident at the 1981 Bislett games interesting, but confusing. It says "Steve Ovett choose not to follow the pacemaker" The previous paragraph speaks ill of the practice, and now Steve is not doing it, so what's the problem? And what is this Ohio business? Who is from Ohio. Rapidly tiring? Are you sure, he won!

(Please, edit the story, not the discussion.)

I don't get it. It seems like important parts of the story are missing.

--Wbfairer2 19:41, 20 March 2007 (UTC)

Is there something wrong with a fast time? A race is a race, right? The whole idea is to be not just fast, but the very fastest, right? Or are some runners offended by fast times?