Designated Rabbit?

Question

I'm watching the Addidas Track and Field Classic and in the Mens 1500 there were 2 men leading, one in one lap and one in the next. But both stepped off the track and were called designated rabbits. What is that and what do they do?

Answer 1

It's a person who paces the race, and runs hard.

Term originates from dog races in which a mechanical rabbit would be shot along side the track and the dogs would chase after it.

Basically if you want to break a world record and your the fastest in the world, and you need someone to put you on the right pace, so you get someone to run at the right pace.  A rabbit isn't really competing to win, they are just getting paid to set the pace for someone who wants to get a specific time.

Answer 2

A rabbit sets the pace, so that the runners have an honest speed.

Sometimes the runners will run slowly and just kick in at the finish, and some races they want to run a certain pace so the rabbits try to bring them through at that race pace.

It is easier to follow someone rather than lead and worry about what pace you are running.

The name comes from dog racing where an artificial rabbit is run ahead of the dogs.

Answer 3

those people are not in the race to win. they run fast for a designated distance so that they pace the people in the race to run faster than they could by themselves. they cannot be used in high school, college or international (olympics) meets, but they are used at regular professional meets like the one you watched