It's a strategy to achieve more, not less.
A pacer in a race runs at a steady, predetermined speed to help their runner run at a target pace.
reply
You're eliding the why :)
> to help their runner run at a target pace
To help their runner get from the start to the end of the race faster (or indeed at all). In short: to increase performance.
Pacing isn't a neutral thing.
And anyway, the whole point of my original comment was "pacing" was a fine and natural term to use in this debate.
It's a strategy to achieve more, not less.