Races have a certain hype or excitement to them, whether it is horses or people who pit their energies and strength against one another.  Anyone who has ever participated in a race, be it a 5 or 10-kilometer run, or a marathon, realizes that pacing yourself is very, very important.  The individual who exhausts his energies early in the race has nothing to draw upon when the finish is near and he needs that extra reserve, that extra kick, to finish and win.