A rabbit is a pacesetter - someone who sacrifices their performance for the dreams and goals of others by leading and keeping the pace honest upfront. They often do not get much of the glory, often quietly stepping off the course before the race finishes, but they do it for the greater good and for their love of running. rabbits have contributed to countless records at every level of sport, providing the spark that has ignited many of the most memorable performances in running history.
I have been extremely fortunate to rabbit a number of amazing athletes, particularly women, for two out of three of the fastest marathons ever run by American women, multiple Olympic Trial Qualifiers, Personal Bests, and top podium finishes. Pacing is an art form that I have found a talent and passion for, that brings out the bests of performances in me too.
If you are looking for a pacer for an upcoming record, whether personal or world level, I would love to help. Great pacing requires more than just running at a certain pace. It requires high attention to detail; knowing the course, the rules, and the athlete; the tangent lines, protecting the athlete from other participants, spectators, course vehicles; and being a coach; knowing the right cues at the right times, the proper level of excitement and motivation, when to push and most importantly, knowing when to get out of their way.
Houston Marathon - Keira D'Amato American Record and Champion
2:19:12 Breaking Deena Kastor's 16 year American Record and winning the 2022 Houston Marathon.
The Marathon Project - 2nd Fastest American Marathon and Champion
Sara Hall
2:20:36 for the second-fastest marathon time by an American woman and new PR.
Illinois Marathon Olympic Trials Qualifiers
2:39 for two Houston-based athletes running over 5-minutes under the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials standard.
Houston Marathon Podium
2023: Rahma Tusa Chota (1st 2:19:33)
2017: Wade (3rd, 2:35) and Mary Davies (5th)
Woodlands Half Marathon Winner
Kinsey Middleton (CAN) 2022 Winner
Media
Ali on the Run Podcast - Keira D'Amato American Marathon Record | Listen HERE
Ali on the Run Podcast - Sara Hall | Listen HERE
Ali on the Run Podcast BERLIN BUZZSAW HERE
rabbitELITE Endurance SportsWire
Keira D'Amata and Sara Hall Set New American Records New York Times
The Art of Pacing
Anyone can lead a race for the first mile. It’s keeping (and pacing) that momentum for an entire race that’s tough.
The art of pacing a race can be more difficult than running itself. There are many factors to consider—mental strength, altitude, climate, temperature, planning, and of course, distance. Mastering race pace is all about being patient, calculated and strategic, and gauging effort so that you’re completely gassed at the finish line—but not before.
Here, Altra Elite Athlete, Calum Neff, discusses various ways to improve pacing skills for more consistent timing and less burnout. With more than 30 years of running experience (and a collection of world records, wins, and podiums to show for it) if anyone knows how to ace the pace, it’s Cal.