Imagine you are running the mile or pacer. How does it make you feel, are you tired of the pacer or have you just started? We’re here today to answer the classic school question: would you rather run the pacer test, or the mile?

After interviewing almost every grade level, here are our results. Most people gave neutral to negative opinions, as 4th grade Harper said, “I’m not a big fan of the pacer/mile. I do think we should do it less often, but overall it’s okay.” 8th grader Tyson echoed this, saying that the P.E. coaches are supportive but that he still doesn’t like it very much.

Some students prefer the mile. Annie from 4th grade says that the pacer is too competitive, while 5th grader John said, “I like the pacer, but it makes me tired so I like the mile more.”

Other scholars disagreed with this. 4th grade Aiden said “I love the pacer, it makes me strong.” Griffin Y in 8th grade said that the pacer can be good if you are tired, because you can drop out whenever you want.

But what do the PE coaches think? Coach Cagle said, “I think the mile is good for the kids, it helps their breathing skills and it’s healthy for them even if they don’t like it. Most of the kids cooperate pretty well, but some kids think the pacer is better than the mile.”

Overall, both the pacer and the mile have good and bad aspects, and both are important for you. Which one do you prefer?