Way off topic

[Creek Side]

I'm back home now.

It was a slow night. First runner at 11:00, second at 12:30. Then, they just trickled in until about 6:45 this morning. From 6:45 until 10:45, it was pretty steady, with a runner every 5 to 10 minutes.

Many runners dropped out of the race at various checkpoints, but we were aware of one runner who dropped between the aid station before us and ours. He was vomiting blood, but a doctor who was with us evaluated him, and didn't believe there would be any lasting effect. They took him to the previous aid station and called an ambulance.

Two runners dropped when they reached us, and I ended up transporting them back to Little Pine SP.

All in all, it was a great weekend with great, but crazy, people. I'm not sure of any results, yet, but I suspect the finish rate will be about average, and average finish time will be slower than normal.

@Creek Side, ask your friend how Skytop aid station was. We usually get good reviews in people's race reports, so I hope he has good things to say.

I texted a mutual friend this evening and she replied that he did in fact complete the race. Such an awesome thing to accomplish! I'm hopefull that he'll make it to the gym this week. I be sure to ask about Skytop. Kudos to you pawrestlersintn for assisting these folks on their journey.

 

[Creek Side]

I'm back home now.

It was a slow night. First runner at 11:00, second at 12:30. Then, they just trickled in until about 6:45 this morning. From 6:45 until 10:45, it was pretty steady, with a runner every 5 to 10 minutes.

Many runners dropped out of the race at various checkpoints, but we were aware of one runner who dropped between the aid station before us and ours. He was vomiting blood, but a doctor who was with us evaluated him, and didn't believe there would be any lasting effect. They took him to the previous aid station and called an ambulance.

Two runners dropped when they reached us, and I ended up transporting them back to Little Pine SP.

All in all, it was a great weekend with great, but crazy, people. I'm not sure of any results, yet, but I suspect the finish rate will be about average, and average finish time will be slower than normal.

@Creek Side, ask your friend how Skytop aid station was. We usually get good reviews in people's race reports, so I hope he has good things to say.

pawrestlersintn, I spoke with him Monday afternoon at the gym. I can't believe he actually came in and still worked out harder than I did even after running 103 miles 24 hours prior. I asked him about Skytop and he thought you guys were the one's with the really good food spread. He only ate a little bit but he said his pacer ate a bunch of French Toast and Bacon. Does that sound about right?

 

[86PSUPaul]

Question, what does a pacer do? Do they run the whole race also or are they a tag team, or maybe on bikes? Or just meet them at each station?

 

[Creek Side]

Question, what does a pacer do? Do they run the whole race also or are they a tag team, or maybe on bikes? Or just meet them at each station?

I think he said he had either 3 or 4 pacers. It sounded as each pacer ran about 20 miles a piece each at different locations. They run along with the runner. I’m assuming it a motivational thing. Maybe a way to keep things going as planned if exhaustion is messing with the mind a bit?

 

[raslen007]

Question, what does a pacer do? Do they run the whole race also or are they a tag team, or maybe on bikes? Or just meet them at each station?

In some marathons they have pacers who hold up a sign while they run with a number on it (3hs15min). That person will finish the race at that pace so if you keep up with them you will be in that time frame also.

 

[DELion]

Question, what does a pacer do? Do they run the whole race also or are they a tag team, or maybe on bikes? Or just meet them at each station?

In ultras, a pacer (usually a friend of the runner) runs one or more segments with the primary runner to provide emotional support and motivation. The ultra runner usually has a pace they are trying to maintain to make their time goal and the pacer can help with that as well, trying to keep them on their target pace. There is also typically a crew that meets the runner at aid stations to help with nutrition, treatment of physical problems, etc. Pacers are usually part of the crew. The pacer cannot provide any physical aid to the runner out on the course. It is a little different than the pacers in marathons who lead groups aiming for a specific finish time.

 

[pawrestlersintn]

pawrestlersintn, I spoke with him Monday afternoon at the gym. I can't believe he actually came in and still worked out harder than I did even after running 103 miles 24 hours prior. I asked him about Skytop and he thought you guys were the one's with the really good food spread. He only ate a little bit but he said his pacer ate a bunch of French Toast and Bacon. Does that sound about right?

Yep. My brother in law was on pancake and French toast duty all night long. Homemade chicken noodle soup, perogies, fresh fruit and more.

 

[pawrestlersintn]

Most of the info about pacers above is accurate, but some clarification and a story.

1. Pacer rules depend upon the race. For this particular race, a runner may not be paced prior to the aid station at Hyner Run at 43.2 miles. One pacer at a time, and can only be swapped at particular aid stations.
2. A pacer might, therefore, only run one segment of the race, or may run all of the allowable segments.
3. Pacers may not carry anything that belongs to the runner, and they may not run in front of the runner, only behind. This is because the runner is supposed to be picking his own course.
4. In ultras, I believe pacers are mostly there for emotional support, rather than for time pacing. They might do some prodding, but mostly it's to tell the runner that they look great, even though they don't.

So, I was sitting at the turn-off into our aid station, welcoming runners, and telling them about the goodies that were waiting for them in a few hundred yards. Up comes a runner, seemingly in very good 85-mile condition, followed by a pacer. The pacer looked as though he had been rode hard and put away wet. I gave my speel, and the runner got excited, encouraging the pacer that this was supposed to be a great aid station. The pacer looked at me much worse for the wear, and said, That first hill out of Blackwell did me in. The runner was, at that point, pacing the pacer.

 

[Dogwelder]

… The runner was, at that point, pacing the pacer.

Remember when Norm was so good at firing people empathetically that the fired people had to console Norm? Good times!

 

[86PSUPaul]

Remember when Norm was so good at firing people empathetically that the fired people had to console Norm? Good times!

That was Cheers, not Good Times!!! Cheers was about Norm at a bar, Good Times was about a black family living in the projects in Chicago!

 

[Dogwelder]

That was Cheers, not Good Times!!! Cheers was about Norm at a bar, Good Times was about a black family living in the projects in Chicago!

Oops. How could I forget Good Times? Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, Rachel … Good Times!