Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 62, September 2014 | Page 15

feature

Ma

My Pace or Yours?
putting in through their breathing
and you honestly don’t know if
they are going to be able to hang
on or not.”

Images: Courtesy Wilby Steenkamp

HELPING HANDS

Some of the regular Pacesetters, (back, l to r): Mervin Smith, Paul Conradie,
Paul Murphy, Wilby Steenkamp, Jacques van der Westhuizen; (middle) Eva
Rienhardt; (front) Randall Joshua, Florence Groener, Paul Cieverts.

Line up for a race in the Cape and chances are you will
see colourful flags sticking up out of the massed field of
runners, with target times written on them such as sub60 or sub-2:00. That means the New Balance Western
Province Pace Setters are in action again, helping
others to run their target times. – BY SEAN FALCONER

I

t takes a special type of runner
to give up their own race to help
others, but most weeks a group of
regular runners from various clubs
in the Cape voluntarily carry their
pacing flags in races from 10km
right up to ultras, to create pacing
buses and help other runners
achieve a goal time, a qualifier or
a new PB. One of the founders of
the New Balance-sponsored group
that paces in up to 20 races per
year is Paul Murphy, and he says,
“We have a core group of around
10 regular pacesetters and then
there are extra people that will
help out at some of the bigger
events. The pacesetters are all
experienced runners that want to
give something back to the running
community, and they get rewarded
by helping other runners reach their
time goals.”

A FINE ART

The pacesetters run with the goal
of finishing about 30 to 60 seconds

inside the goal time on their
flags, so that people running
just behind the bus can still get
the goal time as well, and they
aim to run at an even effort
throughout, taking into account
the ups and downs of the
course, which is not easy, says
Paul. “Doing even-effort pacing
requires knowledge of the route,
which may involve practice runs
on the route, because being
either too far ahead of or too far
behind goal pace are both bad.”
Besides being able to judge and
calculate pace, a pacesetter must
also be able to interact with the
runners in the bus to let them
know strategy and give them
updates on splits, and Paul says
the pacesetters regularly get
asked whether the bus is still on
time. “But the best moment is
pacing someone to a PB over the
last kilometre of a race, when
you can hear the effort they are

Another regular pacer is Paul
Conradie, who says the sport
has given him so much over the
years, so pacing is just a tiny
bit that he can give back. “I
remember one year they asked
for a fast bus at the Gun Run Half
Marathon and I volunteered to
take the 1:30 bus. It wasn’t easy
but we made it, and one lady just
made it with a PB that day. What
a proud moment that was! My

of 11 runners with me that they
must just stick to their guns and
they will be OK. I walked the last
3km and finished in 7:06, but
waiting for me at the Coke stand
was the group – all of them
finished between 6:57 and 6:58.
I know I made the difference to
those novice athletes that day.”
Strong on the bike at the
Wilby pacing2012 Olympics.
London at the Safari
Half Marathon.

Paul Cieverts and Paul Conradie in pacing action.

most enjoyable moment is postrace, when hugs, handshakes
and thank you’s are coming my
way, and often PB’s are also in
the mix.”
However, sometimes it doesn’t
quite go to plan, as Wilby
Steenkamp, another founder
member of the group, can attest.
“My worst nightmare happened
in 2007 when I paced the Two
Oceans sub-7:00 bus along
with Clem Simpson and Elizka
Hendrikse. I was 100% on time
at the marathon mark and told
the other two that I would sweep
up Constantia Neck. At the
summit I started to cramp and
knew I was dehydrated, so with
only 3km to go I told the group

FIND THE
PACESETTERS
Upcoming Paced Races:
•
•
•
•

Sanlam Cape Town Marathon
OUTsurance/94.5 KFM Gun
Run Half Marathon
Landmarks Half Marathon
Vital Run Winelands
Marathon & Half Marathon.

To volunteer to become
a Pacesetter, to arrange
pacesetters for your race, or
find out which races they will
be pacing, visit their Facebook
page at Western Province Pace
Setters, or contact Paul Murphy
on 082 878 1987 or
[e-mail].

Follow Kate on Twitter: @katiepure

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