In endurance, cross country, marathon, and long-distance races generally, a rabbit is a pacer that leads the runners at a target speed to facilitate their achievement of a target finishing time.
Most commonly used or hired by race organizers, rabbits provide even tempo in tough portions of the event while giving up their own race result upon fulfilling their pacing. By achieving the scheduled split times, rabbits guide runners through start paces, discourage irregular tempo and enhance the overall field performance. Rabbits avoid the mental tension of tempo estimation on the part of the athletes so athletes are not distracted. Their dropouts at scheduled markers create even play and good timing marks for finishers seeking personal records.
