Sub-2hr marathon with a high-tech bicycle pacer?

[18.99s]

What if a marathon could have a bicycle rider as a pacer?

Suppose a target pace for every segment of the course is computed in advance based on characteristics of the course -- the inclines, curves, expected winds etc. Then a bicycle is equipped with GPS, speedometer, 2-way radio, and whatever else the rider needs to maintain the precomputed pace at every stage of the race.

To avoid having the runner(s) physically benefit from drafting, the runner could be required to stay a suitable distance behind, with lasers on the bicycle that point at an angle downwards to draw a line across the road at the designated distance.

Of course, the presence of the bicycle would render the time ineligible for IAAF record purposes. But such an attempt would still be great for entertainment purposes, and very useful for showing what the human body is capable of, providing valuable information that could be utilized for record-eligible races.

[lonewolf]

That is one approach.. but could the bike rider maintain the exact optimum pace the entire route?... and, I am still skeptical a human, in the present state of evolution, can maintain the required pace.

[gh]

if you're rendering the mark IAAF-record-ineligible anyway, easier to come up with a mechanical rabbit of sorts.

[aaronk]

if you're rendering the mark IAAF-record-ineligible anyway, easier to come up with a mechanical rabbit of sorts.

Why not a REAL rabbit??
And let's hold it on Easter Sunday!!
Then Tim Hutchings could say---

At 30 kilometers, Peter Rabbit is still maintaining a useful pace for the leaders...

LOL

[18.99s]

if you're rendering the mark IAAF-record-ineligible anyway, easier to come up with a mechanical rabbit of sorts.

It would be a record-ineligible attempt on a record-eligible course; something that would provide useful information for future record-eligible attempts, so not on a closed 2-mile loop or something like that.

So a mechanical rabbit would have to be able to auto-navigate all the twists and turns of a real course. Maybe a golf cart with Google's or Tesla's self-driving technology could do that.

[18.99s]

That is one approach.. but could the bike rider maintain the exact optimum pace the entire route?... and, I am still skeptical a human, in the present state of evolution, can maintain the required pace.

Why not? The equipment on the bike would tell them how fast they're going and how fast they need to go at all times, with audio feedback to alert them whenever they're a bit too fast or too slow. And the chosen cyclist would be of Tour de France caliber, somebody with the experience of maintaining a precise pace within a peloton to avoid crashes, and physically capable of going 30 mph for 26 miles so fatigue won't play a factor when they're riding at just over 13.1 mph.

[18.99s]

Another approach would be augmented reality glasses that would show a ghost runner going at the precomputed pace, so the real runner could just follow that instead of a bicycle or golf cart.

But the glasses would have to be lightweight enough and otherwise comfortable enough not to be a hindrance, so the real computing equipment with GPS etc. would have to be somewhere else, like in a car following the runner, with the glasses receiving info via wifi.

[Guest]

Why so much unnecessary complication? I did a 10k race last month with 995 participants and rabbits for 30 minutes and up - a rabbit for each 5 minutes or less. Each bunny with their own gps watch, pretty much perfectly paced. (They were referred to as pace helpers.)

[18.99s]

Why so much unnecessary complication? I did a 10k race last month with 995 participants and rabbits for 30 minutes and up - a rabbit for each 5 minutes or less. Each bunny with their own gps watch, pretty much perfectly paced. (They were referred to as pace helpers.)

Targeting an unprecedented and narrow window like 1:59:55 +/- 4 seconds over a 26.2 mile distance requires much more precision and technology than what you described.

[Guest]

Targeting an unprecedented and narrow window like 1:59:55 +/- 4 seconds over a 26.2 mile distance requires much more precision and technology than what you described.

Not at all. A pacer for each of the first 8 5km "laps" and one for the final 2.2.

[26mi235]

Since the pacer has the ability to correct for deviations, a narrow target range is not as big an issue as you might think. If you have good enough feedback you can be continually adjusting. And stamina wise, there might be a number of (tens of) millions of people capable of that level of effort, which is not much above trivial on a flat course on a quality bike. The trickiest element of constant effort is variations in wind. If it is not a windless day, you cannot pre-plan the effort profile and if your target is a fixed time, the effort level is uncertain.

[Juicy News]

Since this is a just-for-fun project anyway, can the Nike people built a massive fan for tailwind for the entire course?

[26mi235]

Maybe we can give them scooters or bikes that they can ride occasionally to keep the average pace high -- would be only slightly less obviously a cheat of major proportions that would make the whole enterprise a farce in every way.

[guru]

Another approach would be augmented reality glasses that would show a ghost runner going at the precomputed pace, so the real runner could just follow that instead of a bicycle or golf cart.

But the glasses would have to be lightweight enough and otherwise comfortable enough not to be a hindrance, so the real computing equipment with GPS etc. would have to be somewhere else, like in a car following the runner, with the glasses receiving info via wifi.

Already exists(minus the ghost), and no need for a following car - a garmin forerunner watch would be adequate.

http://www.oakley.com/en/product/W0OO9333PZRD

[Guest]

a garmin forerunner watch would be adequate.


http://www.oakley.com/en/product/W0OO9333PZRD

Garmins are entirely adequate. I just got back from a 15km run and used mine to come within 20 seconds of target time. Any guesses how many cars I had to tune out at rush hour and still managed to do it?