They say life is all about pacing yourself.
Paul Carringer is a professional running pacer. He was recruited by Darris Blackford, director of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon, who was putting together a pace team for the 1999 marathon.
“I remember thinking, ‘Why in the world would anyone want to run in a group with me for 26-plus miles? … Boring!” Carringer says. “That was the start.” The team, sponsored by White Castle, was called the Striding Slyders.
What does a pacer do?
Pacers have three important tasks to perform: keeping time, offering in-event coaching and serving as the event’s eyes and ears.
“We want every runner and walker in our group to know that if they keep a pacer in sight, they will have a chance to reach their goal time,” Carringer says.
Pacers are also there for coaching along the way with tips on refueling and hydration.
“And,” Carringer adds, “things like why it’s not a good idea to run from one side of the course
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to the other, giving high fives, when you are four miles into a marathon.”
A lot can happen over the course of 26 miles, and pacers are like mobile security, Carringer says. He once had a runner in his group go down with a medical emergency.
“My job was clear,” he says. “Work to revive the runner – which did not work – then, get someone to hold the runner’s head up while I ran for the medics. His life was saved, even though he spent at least six days in a hospital.”
During another marathon in St. Louis, Carringer had a celebrity in his group of runners and had cameras documenting his journey. That day was particularly hot and humid, so much so that the runners came upon a blockade and police officer who told them the race was canceled for safety reasons. They were informed that if they continued to run, they would be arrested.
“The celebrity went ballistic, yelling about how the police couldn’t stop him,” Carringer says. “I calmly put my hands on his shoulders and said, ‘Well, you know, there is another marathon next week in Wisconsin and another the week after in Illinois. Why don’t we call this a long training run for one of those?’”
Talk about getting heated!
Never a dull run
Carringer has no shortage of memorable encounters and experiences. At the Air Force Marathon in Dayton, two runners argued the whole time about whose GPS was more accurate. By mile 16, they were about ready to have a full-on brawl. Carringer had to step in and squash the squabble, suggesting they pick up their debate after the last 10 miles.
A change of pace
Carringer’s running has certainly – pun intended – changed the pace of his life. He’s been all around the world, traveling to places such as Germany, China, Australia and Brazil. He’s paced eight New York City Marathons, which he calls the Super Bowl of running.
“I have made lifelong friends,” Carringer says, “both within our pacer groups and of those on our teams that I helped to get to the finish line.”
But perhaps most importantly, Carringer has helped people achieve their dreams. For some, finishing a marathon is a goal only achieved after months of training, prepping, sacrifice and support. He is there every step of the way, part of that moment when a racer crosses the finish line – a moment not easily forgotten.
“So many of my pace team finishers have come up to me after the event and gone on and on about how I got them to the finish line,” Carringer says. “I always say that I didn’t do anything, they did it.”
Mallory Arnold is an editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.
