WHY DO RUNNERS PACE RACES?
WITH ANDREW BUIKEMA
Photo credit: Stellafly, Laura Caprara
LISTEN
In this episode of the A to Z Running Podcast, race director and 40x race pacer Andrew Buikema joins A to Z Running to discuss pacing. Andrew shares how a person can train to be a pacer, how pacers help during the race, and the unique motivations of pacers and WHY they do it.
Featured in this episode is also a race recap from the Men’s US 15K Champion, Clayton Young. Tune in to hear the inside scoop about his win.
INTRO
- Follow and Subscribe (on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform)
- Listener question from Laura.
- Laura asks Andi and Zach about unique challenges for race hydration as her race has announced DIY filling stations.
- We tell Laura that if time matters, we recommend carrying a bottle.
- Have you signed up for Rivertown Races in Grand Rapids, MI? It’s not too late.
- Use the code atoz_2021 for 10% off.
- GIVEAWAY- We have (2) entries to Rivertown Races events in Grand Rapids to give away.
- How to enter:
- Subscribe to A to Z Running HERE
- Message or post telling us about a time someone helped you during a race. (If you post on instagram and tag us, we will share in our stories.)
- Win an entry of your choice to Rivertown Races half marathon, 10k, or 5k.
- How to enter:
- Featured Product: Knockaround Sunglasses
- Get 15% off your first order at Knockaround with the link
- Check out their 40% off sale on many styles with prices as low as $9 with free shipping on all orders.
- (Disclaimer: this is an affiliate link. It costs you no extra, and by using the link you support the A to Z Running Podcast.)
World of Running
Firstly, congrats to two AtoZrunning athletes on 5k PRs this weekend, Kait ran a 44 second pr, Mark ran a 29 second pr at the Shamrock Shenanigans race in Grand Rapids, MI.
March 20, in Huangshan, China (Chinese Race Walking Championships – World Athletics)
- Women
- Yang Jiayu smashes world 20km race walk record with 1:23:49
- Yang Jiayu chopped 49 seconds off the world record to win the 20km race walk in 1:23:49* at the Chinese Race Walking Championships in Huangshan on Saturday (20)
March, 20, 2021 in Jacksonville, FL – Gate River Run (letsrun)
USATF 15k Road Championships
- Emily Sisson claimed the national title for the women
- 5th fastest ever
- Won the battle of sexes bonus (5k bonus for finishing before the men – they gave 6min head start)
- Clayton Young for the men
- Clayton is fairly fresh to professional running for Asics. In 2019 he was the NCAA 10k champion representing BYU.
- TUNE IN FOR AN EXCLUSIVE WITH CLAYTON
March 15, in Stillwater, Oklahoma: NCAA Cross Country Championships
- *first time since 1943 that a championships was missed (2020)…
- For the men
- NAU won in crazy 60 points (fewest in over 15 years)
- They put 4 guys in the top 9 in the race
- Conner Mantz of BYU won individually (first us-born champion since 2008 when Galen Rupp won)
- For the women
- BYU won resoundingly (over 60 points ahead of second)
- Alabama’s Mercy Chelangat won individually in a hard-fought battle
OLYMPICS UPDATE (from ESPN):
No Foreign Spectators at the Olympic Games
- Official Announcement- no foreign spectators
MAIN TOPIC: WHY DO RUNNERS PACE RACES?
Having a pacer can provide racers with a major advantage when trying to hit a goal time. When listening to our conversation with Andrew, please listen for these 3 things:
- How does one train to be a pacer,
- how does a pace help during the race,
- and WHAT is their unique motivation.
Also, even if you are not planning to travel to Grand Rapids for Rivertown races, tune in to the brief talk about Rivertown and the considerations race directors are making as races begin to open up. These challenges are not unique to Andrew and it’s interesting to hear the inside scoop.
About our Guest: Andrew Buikema
Race director, 40x Pacer
Andrew is the race director of Rivertown Races in Grand Rapids Michigan. He has been a race director and events manager for several years and a hero to many as he has paced roughly 40 races. Andrew has an inspiring story of how he got into the running community and how he has become so entrenched in the community surrounding the sport.
Andrew knows what it is to give and receive the gift of pacing and in this conversation, he reveals the why.
Enjoy our conversation with Andrew Buikema.
Follow Andrew
Instagram: @buiks & @rivertownraces
Facebook: @rivertownraces
Website: https://rivertownraces.com/
KEEP LISTENING
What a great conversation!
Two stories come to mind. Several years ago at riverbank a friend wanted to run so I agreed to run it with him. We kept about a11 minute pace. After I settled in, I have to say that was the best RBR I’ve done. I really enjoyed running with Dan and getting him to the finish line.
And then several years later I knew where I wanted to be for the GR marathon so I stayed with that pace group through the first half, knowing that I needed to control my pace. Once I hit halfway I picked it up. These pacers were a big part in me hitting my PR by more than 30 minutes. Of course the training I had done plated a part in it too. Thanks to the pacers early on, I hadn’t great race.
Thanks for sharing, Karl! What a great experience (both!).