Voice Commands & Verbal Communication

A pacing group can be 50 runners or more, spread over 20 metres of road. Most of them cannot see your watch, and many are tired, wearing headphones or concentrating on their breathing. Your voice, your hands and your flag are how you lead them. Good communication is not about talking a lot. It is about saying the right thing, clearly, at the right moment.

Short, loud, early#

Every call you make should follow three rules:

• Short. Two to five words. "Water in 200, left side" works. A long sentence gets lost in the noise of the crowd.
• Loud. Speak from your chest, not your throat, and turn your head slightly back towards the group. If the runners at the back cannot hear you, the call has failed.
• Early. Announce things before they happen, not when they happen. A water station needs a call about 200–300 metres before it. A sharp turn needs a call about 50–100 metres before it. Runners need time to move across safely.

Repeat important calls once. The leader makes the call, and the support pacers on the flanks echo it towards the back of the group. This is one of the jobs agreed in your team formation.

Standard phrases#

Use plain words that a first-time marathoner, or a runner whose English is basic, can understand. In Vietnam many runners will appreciate a few key calls in Vietnamese too.

Avoid vague calls such as "careful!" on their own. Always say what and where.

The four standard hand signals#

Voice does not always carry, especially near loud music or cheering crowds. That is why all CDPP pacers use the same four hand signals. Give them clearly, above shoulder height, and hold them for a few seconds.

Combine the signal with a voice call whenever you can: point left and call "Left turn coming!" at the same time. The signal helps the runners who cannot hear you; the voice helps the runners who cannot see you.

Your flag and backpack#

Your pace flag or balloon on your backpack is your loudest message. It tells every runner on the course who you are and what finish time you are running. Keep it upright and visible. Do not let it fall sideways or get hidden under a jacket.

• Make sure the target time on the flag is easy to read from behind.
• When you need to pass a message to the whole group, a quick raise of the arm next to the flag draws eyes to you first.
• The backpack also carries spare drinks or gels. Tell runners early: "I have water in my bag if you need it."

Key takeaways#

• Every call should be short, loud and early, and support pacers echo it to the back.
• Always say what is coming and where: "Water in 200, right side."
• Know the four standard hand signals: flat hand = slowing, circular arm = regroup, pointing left/right = turn, pointing down = obstacle.
• Combine voice and signal so both runners who cannot hear and runners who cannot see get the message.
• Keep your flag upright and visible; it is your constant message to the course.