How much do London Marathon pacemakers earn?
RUN RABBIT How much do London Marathon pacemakers earn?
Pacemakers are used by all types of runners — from elite athletes chasing medals and records to amateurs aiming for personal bests
Here we take a look at exactly what they do and how much they will earn for guiding participants through the London Marathon's 26.2-mile course on Sunday April 27, 2025.
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Emile Cairess and his pacemaker pictured at the 2024 London Marathon
Credit: Alamy
What is a pacemaker?
A pacemaker, sometimes called a pacesetter or rabbit, is a runner assigned to lead a group of competitors at a steady, predetermined pace throughout the race.
Their main role is to help other runners maintain a consistent speed and achieve specific finish times.
Often pacemakers will form a cluster of people who want to finish the race in, say, three hours.
The pacemaker will motivate the race runners to stick to the required speed to make their desired time.
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People often fail to anticipate how long they'll be running for and how much stamina is needed.
Sticking to a pacer's speed helps eliminate the problem of accidentally overdoing it.
Running 10 or more marathons each, they are generally very reliable aides.
How much pacemakers earn
The earnings of pacemakers vary significantly based on their role and level.
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Elite pacemakers hired to pace the front of the men's or women's field, especially for world record attempts, may receive professional-level compensation.
Sammy Tangui, the pacemaker for Olympic 800-metre champion David Rudisha, told the Courier Mail he earned between $2,000 (£1,500) and $3,000 (£2,250) per race.
How Kelvin Kiptum went from having to borrow shoes to London Marathon record
But a not-so-elite pacemaker may not earn a penny, as long distance runner, writer and podcaster Tim Tegee explained on his blog.
On whether he received financial compensation for setting pace at the 2024 Flensburg Marathon, Tim wrote: "You don't [get paid].
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"But, in addition to free running clothes to keep, you don't pay for the race. On bigger races, that can be a very solid financial advantage!
"My main question before being a pacer used to be if you would appear in the results list as a proper participant or if it wouldn't count and you'd be outside of competition.
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Some pacemakers receive thousands of pounds for their services, while others get paid in gifts and gear
Credit: Getty
"But I was happy to learn that you would, in fact, be counted as a standard participant. As far as I'm aware, that's the basic situation on most races.
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"Here in Flensburg, the pacers received an extra benefit of being allowed to have a shower after the race in the fancy gym next to the finishing area.
"That was great, because the mobile showers at these races often just barely fulfil their purpose. Overcrowded, cold, dirty.
For many, the role of pacemaker is seen as an honour and a way to give back to the running community rather than a paid job.
Pacemakers at the London Marathon are not generally eligible for prize money or bonuses, which are reserved for competitors who complete the race and place in the standings.
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They are not considered competitors, as they are primarily focused on helping other athletes achieve specific pace goals.
While they may receive a fee for their services, they are not in contention for the prizes allocated to the finishing order.
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