Long-distance triathlon glossary·Pacer

Pacer : Pace setter

Intensity

Athlete or signal that serves as a pace reference to maintain steady speed during a race.

A pacer can be an athlete running beside you to hold pace (common in trail and marathon), or a slightly faster group you latch onto during a race. In solo triathlon, the 'virtual pacer' is your pre-calculated target pace. GPS and automatic splits fill this role.

In TriPaced:

In TriPaced, your target race pace is calculated from your vVO2max/threshold pace and your fatigue history on race day. It's your virtual pacer built into the race plan.

Related terms

  • Dropbag : gear bag staged in the transition area
  • Race nutrition : fueling effort without crashing
  • Transition : T1 (swim-to-bike) and T2 (bike-to-run)
  • Cramps : Muscle cramps during racing
  • Heat management : Thermoregulation in racing
  • Energy gel : concentrated carbohydrate fuel