Inside the mind of the people helping others achieve their marathon dreams

AS marathons enter their heyday, there is a unique group of people sacrificing their races to help others get across the line.

Pacing has become increasingly popular at marathon events across the globe, no longer reserved for just the most elite races.

Pace runners have the job of not only completing the race, but ensuring they run at a steady pace, allowing those around them to follow their timing and aiding people in reaching their goals.

As much an art as a skill, the head of Geelong Running Festival’s pacing academy, Simon Wolnizer said it takes a special person to pace.

“The difference between a good pacer and a bad pacer is ego,” Wolnizer said.

“There are some amazing runners who pace, the fastest PB in any of my pace teams is a 2:17 runner and I’ve seen him pace anywhere from three hours back to four hours, which is like a dawdle for him, but it’s not about him at all.

“People say, ‘what’s your PB’ and it doesn’t matter, it’s about getting their PB today and focusing on giving back rather than saying ‘hey, I’m so much better than you’.”

Pacers must consider the entire marathon, adjusting to changes in gradation and the flow of each course to run as consistently as possible.

A pacer who goes too fast too early and then slows in the lates kilometres to make their time doesn’t benefit those pacing off them, Wolnizer said.

He aims for 15 seconds leeway in his crossing time, allowing for those he might not know about behind him to still cross the line.

“I don’t know who’s chasing me,” he said.

“There could have been somebody sitting 50 meters back, just behind you the whole time and if you sprinted off at the end, and they end up 10 second over their goal, how disappointing is that? Fifteen seconds under, that’s about 50 meters, so if there’s somebody who’s been hanging back there, we come in just a little bit early and they still make it under their target time.”

Building the pace team for the inaugural Geelong marathon later this year, they Sydney local said it feels like a full-circle moment.

Though he’s ran across the world, it was as a child in Geelong that he first started distance racing.

“Geelong is where I fell in love with running,” Wolnizer said.

“Cross country was the greatest day at school, even more so than athletics day, I still just love it.”

He and Geelong Running Festival organiser Lee Troop are hopeful that even more locals will fall in love with running too.

This first year they have recruited pacers from all around, but together they are building up local runners, with Troop hoping to have an entirely Geelong-based pace team in coming years.

Locals who applied to pace but did not get selected have been invited to participate in the Pacer Academy.

Taking the skills he has learnt from years of pace making, Wolnizer has created a guide with all the advice he’s acquired to help build Geelong locals up.

The Geelong Running Festival will be held on September 20.