Pacer versus rabbit

They seem like interchangeable terms, pacer and rabbit, but they are subtly different. A pacer is a confederate who is there to establish your pace. In that sense, they are an ally. A rabbit, on the other hand, is there to lure you to a faster time. A pacer is on the hunt with you, while a rabbit is that which you are hunting. 

In the Kalakaua Merrie Mile, now in its seventh year, race officials established a unique Chase format where the pro women are given a head start and the pro men try to run them down.

The pro women, therefore, serve as rabbits for the professional men. But the prize purse payouts are determined by overall order of finish not sex of finisher. The top four finishers split the $10,000 purse with $4000 going to the winner. An extra $10,000 bonus awaits in case a world record is broken.

Last year, the women were awarded a 29-second headstart. But Neil Gourley of Scotland ran 3:56.0 to take the title with Sam Prakel (3:56.3), Hobbs Kessler (3:57.0), Kieran Lumb (3:57.0) and Craig Engels (3:57.5) all finishing before Katie Snowden crossed as first woman in 4:27.3. In fact, men have won all six previous Merrie Miles. 

Accordingly, in 2023, the women were given an extra one second to work with, 30 seconds in all, to try and hold off the fast closing men’s field. 

The Merrie Mile course record of 3:53.3 was set in 2019 by Edward Cheserek of Kenya, one of his three Merrie Mile titles. The women’s course record of 4:22.6 was established in 2018 by Miriam Cherop of Kenya. The difference between course records is 29.3 seconds. 

This year, for the first time, road miles have been recognized by World Athletics as record-eligible, with the inaugural World Road Running Championships being contested in Riga, Latvia this October. There, Michigan native Hobbs Kessler snatched the one-mile title, establishing the world record, 3:56.13, in the process.

To insure official recognition in case of a new world record (4:20.98W, 3:56.13M) Honolulu officials re-certified their out-and-back course, brought in photo timing and instituted drug testing. 

Unfortunately, the men just missed the 3:56.13 WR by 4/10ths of a second as American indoor and outdoor mile record holder Yared Neguse (3:43.97) representing the On Athletics Club, put a fitting cap to his breakout year, bringing home the solid gold Kalakaua Merrie Mile winner’s plague in 3:56.58 in his first ever road mile. Under Armour’s Vince Ciattei held off 2023 World Road Mile champion and road record holder Hobbs Kessler, 3:56.81 to 3:57.12 to take runner-up honors. Very Nice Track Club’s Morgan Beadlescomb barely outkicked top woman Nikki Hiltz to finish fourth in 3:58.01.

Nikki Hiltz, repping Lululemon, finished fifth overall in 4:28.07 to win the women’s race. Second place went to Japan’s four time 1500m champion, Nozomi Tanaka, in 4:29.79, a new national road mile record. Third place went to Under Armour’s Weini Kelati in 4:30.16.

Speaking with Honolulu Marathon Association president Jim Barahal after the race, the idea was floated to bring in a pacer for the women in 2024, since the men have the women to chase in the current format, but the women have nobody to take them out, or chase. 

Nikki Hiltz said the women went out somewhat conservatively this year, which spelled their doom in trying to hold off the men. So to even out the opportunity next year, the women should be accorded a pacer of their own even as they continue to serve as rabbits for the men.

Irrespective of any such minor tweaks, once again the Kalakaua Merrie Mile brought Honolulu race fans to their feet with an exciting start to a wonderful weekend of racing on Oahu.

A record 2500+ peoples’ finishers ran the mile before the professionals took to the line. The crowd’s enthusiastic support helped drive the pros to  their fast finishes. 

The 51st Honolulu Marathon and Start To Park 10k go off tomorrow at 5 AM. I will have a full report on that, as well.

POS	Name	RESULT
1	Yared Nuguse	3:56
2	Vincent Ciattei	3:56
3	Hobbs Kessler	3:57
4	Morgan Beadlescomb	3:58
5	Mario Garcia Romo	3:59
6	Geordie Beamish	4:00
7	Neil Gourley	4:03
8	Mason Ferlic	4:03
9	Bryce Hoppel	4:03
10	Matthew Centrowitz	4:03

Women’s Results

POS	NAME	RESULT
1	Nikki Hiltz	4:28
2	Nozomi Tanaka	4:29
3	Weini Kelati	4:30
4	Susan Ejore	4:30
5	Rachel Smith	4:31
6	Elinor St. Pierre	4:32
7	Dani Jones	4:32
8	Emily Lipari	4:33

END