Man trouble Andy Milroy considers the problems of men pacing women OPINION The issue of male pacemakers The fact there is no depth to the in women's marathons was women's event can be glossed thrown into sharp relief by over in post-race reports and Paul Tergat’s world marathon coverage. record in Berlin. This may A classic case of this was the seem a strange claim to make, 2001 Berlin Marathon where the but I will explain. pre-race publicity on the women's race focused on a duel between There were two designated Naoko Takahashi and Tegla pacemakers in the Berlin race. Loroupe. It was subsequently Sammy Korir had a personal best clear to unbiased observers that of 2:08:02 from 1997 and Titus Munji had run 2:16:58 in his Loroupe was nowhere close to her marathon debut five months "world record" fitness, as the earlier in Zurich. results clearly demonstrated From 30km it was clear the Only a narrow group of elite pacemakers were going to try to women will receive invitations and race Tergat to the finish. Munji appearance money. Therefore the dropped off with approximately World Record pace for Paula Radcliffe in London, 2003 number of international class 5km to go, but Tergat only women distance runners who can sustain a running career will be managed to hold off Korir to the women's race, giving a false performances place every other finish line by a few metres - impression of what the leading athlete at a disadvantage. They significantly reduced, and winning by a single second. The female runner can achieve in open give a false impression as to the gradually the gap between those designated pacemaker, Korir, competition on her own. ability of a runner - in results, in elite runners and the rest will broke the old world record by 42 rankings and in records. widen. Without the underlying, seconds. When the International supporting base of younger Association of Athletic Pacing by persons "not runners moving up, learning the Designated pacemakers actually Federations first recognised the participating in the race" is aid. event and competing winning races has been 5000m and 10,000m world records This is why, according to IAAF internationally as the existing happening for years. Paul for women on the track, they rules on assistance, it is illegal. runners grow older, there will be Pilkington won the 1994 Los purposefully ignored the best Male-paced performances by no one to replace them. Angeles Marathon. More recent marks on record. Loa Olafsson women are obviously aided by a examples include Simon Biwott in (Denmark) had run 15:08.8 and runner who is "not participating in The pool of elite women Berlin 2000, Josephus Ngolepus in 31:45.35, but these times had the race". marathoners is already Berlin 2001, and Ben Kimondiu in been set in races against men. substantially smaller than it is for Chicago 2001. The IAAF instead chose the times The use of male pacemakers is elite men marathoners, as opportunistic and short-sighted, It can be seen from these cases of Paula Fudge (Britain, 15:41.51) evidenced by the many European and Yelena Sipatova (USSR, driven by the financial demands of marathons with strong men's that a male pacemaker in a male race directors and runners' agents. race is an integral part of the race. 32:17.19), which had both been fields but little more than local achieved in all-women races. The impact on the sport as a talent in the women's race. This Although he sets the pace for the whole does not appear to have is then used as a reason to offer lead runner/s, he is also part of IAAF Rule 148 (e) on World been considered. The inclusion of substantially less prize money to the race dynamics - he has the Records specifically states that male pacemakers will work against women in these races. potential to win and must be "No performance set by an athlete the development of women's taken into account by the leading will be recognised if it has been distance running. Women runners colluding with runners. A male pacemaker in a accomplished during a mixed this practice of using male male race cannot distort the It is much cheaper for a race competition." Clearly, the IAAF pacemakers to better their own running of the race - because he is recognises the problems of organisation to pay for one or two part of that race. elite women runners and a couple career, do so at the expense of women running with men in long- other women performers - those distance track races. of male pacemakers than it is for When looking at a so-called them to attract a strong elite who come after them. mixed race, we need to clarify Aided performances are the women's field. They get a good They are setting aid-enhanced exactly what it is. If it is one race, curse of athletics. Performances winning women's time with there can only be one winner. This performances which will be much aided by the use of drugs are resultant favourable press more difficult for non-aided is usually a man, although in coverage, without the cost of ruled illegal. The primary reason runners to match in the future, some ultra races, and at least one for this is because such ‘aided’ inviting a major women's field. marathon, a woman has won. The and they are undermining the so-called mixed race is, in fact, base of up-and-coming women two separate races, one for men STREET LEGAL... Pacer Paul Pilkington won the 1994 L.A. Marathon athletes whose running careers and one for women, held at the will depend on invitations to same time. The problem with this world class road running events. is that the runners in the male race can - and do - distort the Why should the long-term results in the women's race. interests of women's road running and the future well-being of the A male pacemaker in a female sport of road-racing be sacrificed race is an alien intrusion; he is for the financial benefit of a few not an integral part of the event. individuals and organisations? The male runner cannot be part of the female race because he is not It is in the interests of the eligible to win it. The sole future health of the whole sport to purpose of the male pacemaker is do everything possible to widen to aid the leading woman. The the base and develop the purpose of that aid is to enable enormous potential of women's her to run faster than she would road running. Men pacing women have done without his assistance. to aid-enhanced performances is Therefore the male pacemaker a major threat to the future of the distorts the results of the sport. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF REPRESENT THE THE AND AUTHOR VIEWS DO OF NOT AIMS NECESSARILY OR IAAF DISTANCE RUNNING January - April 2004 45.