pickupthepacepaul

I am so pleased to announce that in 2018 I will be leading Limassol’s very first Pace Team. We have an International team, mainly populated with UK pacers, all of whom I have paced with before. I have a great consistent pacer joining us from Italy, and local club runners from Limassol will join the team. The Pace Team has been chosen because we share the passion for pacing, and everyone on this team is there because they genuinely want to help and encourage others along the journey. We all believe pacing is much more than hitting the correct splits.

We will be pacing the half marathon and marathon in 15 minute intervals. I have ensured we have covered as many paces as possible, based on previous years results.

To get everyone excited for 2018, let me introduce you to the “Pick up the Pace” Team:

Half Marathon:

Paul Simons:

Pick up the Pace Paul is pacing the 1:30 spot. A great guy who has paced many events, a reliable guy if you want to reach top speeds.

Paul started running whilst a cub scout, many, many years ago, and has represented England in both the half and marathon distance.  His first pacing job was in 1991 for London Marathon, as the organisers asked if he would run with the leading lady. He has also held 2 Guinness World Records (2 different fancy dress ones!) and has appeared on the Ninja Warrior series.

Paul loves the camaraderie of pacing and feels as though he is actually helping them achieve their goals. A Postman with 2 young boys who he encourages to lead a healthy and sporty life, Alfie is 10 Archie is 7.

Will Wall:

Pick up the Pace Will is driving the 1:45 #funbus. Mr #teamwhite is a regular pacer, who always hits his target.

Wills kids Granddad (παππούς) is from Cyprus, so Limassol is a great opportunity for Will to catch up with family whilst enjoying a fabulous run.

Will is a club runner, but with his two Daughters time with the club is limited at the moment. Will keeps busy and has completed:

27 x Marathoner, 2 x Olympic triathlon, 1 x Half IronMan Tri, 3 x century bike ride, 5x Ultra Runner.

Will said “pacing keeps you running more humble, it’s great to give something back in a sport that has giving me so much”.

Darren Hendley

Pick up the Pace Darren is leading the sub 2 #funbus. After discussing pacing with Darren he signed up with Xempo and the rest is history.

Darren has been running since he was 10 years old, and he is a founding member of Paddock Wood AC. He has completed 16 marathons including one ultra marathon and enjoys running a variety of distances either on the road or trails. He is also a keen obstacle course racer. One of Darren’s highlights has to be high-fiving Kate and Will during the London Marathon, dressed as Spider-Man.

Darren can’t wait to join the team in Limassol, and those looking for a 2 hour half marathon are in safe hands.

Phil Jefferies:

Pick up the Pace Phil will be leading the 2:15 #funbus. I have paced with Phil so many times and he never fails to hit his target, time after time. It is fantastic to have him on the team.

Phil previously ran a lot in his younger days, but due to work he drifted away from running and only really found it again in 2013. Now aged 52, he runs more than he did in his twenties!

Phil suffers with Asthma and trys to encourage others with the same condition to get active, and improve their health. One of his most enjoyable aspects of running these days is when he is acting as a Pacer to help runners achieve their goals and ambitions and hit new PB targets.

Phil has paced all over the country and managed to pace 20 different events in 2017. He is looking forward to making his International pacing debut at Limassol, and hopes that he can help you set a new sub 2hr15 PB for the half marathon distance.

Emma-Jane Morris:

Pick up the Pace Emma will be driving the final #funbus for the half 2:30.

Emma first began running 5 years ago when a friend introduced her to it. She now runs races all over the world including China, Jamaica & Hungary to name but a few.  She loves to achieve a PB but said to me  ” I can honestly say that, whilst achieving a PB is an amazing feeling, there is nothing better than helping others achieve theirs”.

Emma has been pacing for well over a year now and is an asset to the team. Running has totally changed her life, introducing her to amazing people. She paces as she likes to give something back to the running community which also makes her so happy.

Marathon:

Danny O’reilly:

Pick up the Pace Danny is a fantastic runner, and one of the fastest guys I know. He has a Half PB of 1:16 and Full PB of 2:49, but this really is the beginning for Danny. He is at the start of his journey and I know we are going to see these times fall over the next few years.

I had the pleasure of running with Danny in his pacing debut and he is a natural. A confident runner who told me he owns more pairs of running shoes than he does underwear. Danny loves to pace, and help people achieve their goals. For someone in his prime, Danny said “I get the same thrill from pacing as achieving a PB”.

Interesting fact about Danny, he claims he can hula-hoop indefinitely and is happy to prove it. Someone please bring your hula-hoop to Limassol.

Giuseppe Bossi:

Pick up the Pace Beppe is leading the 3:45 #funbus. He has a vast CV of pacing races in Italy including Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence and more. Always hitting his target and sharing his passion for pacing, he was a natural choice to join the team.

I’ve not ran with Beppe before, but when I heard his enthusiasm for pacing I was more than happy for him to join the team, and look forward to running with him.

Paul Addicott:

Pick up the Pace Paul. If you are reading this blog, chances are you will know how much I love pacing. I am thrilled to be leading the Pick up the Pace Team in Limassol, and extremely grateful to the organisers and Breatheunity for giving me this   opportunity.

I have a selection of fantastic pacers running with me, but it just wouldn’t be right if I wasn’t driving the sub4 #funbus. To date I have paced 39 events, and will continue to do this as long as I can. The enjoyment of running comes for me through the community. Helping people to hit their PB is something I desire far more than hitting my own. After Running Limassol Marathon 2017 in 3:12 I knew this would be an event I would be back to again in 2018. I could have pushed harder on this course, but pulled back towards the end as I was pacing the following week. My family loved Limassol so much they can’t wait to come back with me again, read about Limassol 2017 HERE.

Kev Keenan:

Pick up the Pace Kev is leading the 4:15 group. A great running pacer I’ve had the privilege to run with.

Kev loves to pace because he likes helping people achieve their goals. He uses pacing events as training for the longer adventures he takes part in. Kev ran 130k in 2017, and will take on his next challenge of running 100 miles in 2018. Kev is using Limassol Marathon as training for his 100 mile race in June. He said pacing teaches him the discipline to stick to a pace that he may otherwise see as too easy. He has learnt from experience how important it is to get the pace right, and determine this according to the event.

He is pacing Limassol as he has only heard great things about this race and had to come and see it for himself. He has been to Cyprus many times as a soldier but this is the first time that he has chosen to go himself.

Garry Biddle

Pick up the Pace Gaz is leading the 4:30 #funbus. Gaz and his “Wifey” Rose met up with me for the first time at the London expo this year. He asked me if I could help him to get into pacing, and his enthusiasm shone through. After pointing him in the right direction he has gone from strength to strength.

Gazza has done many many events, and will often be found running with Rose. He has dived into the pacing scene this year and has paced with me numerous times across the country. He is full of energy and a desire to help people have fun whilst achieving even splits to reach their target time.

I invited Gaz to the team as he embraces everything I think a pacer should be, ensuring he thinks of the whole race experience. When I asked how he paced he said “I am very vocal and enjoy encouraging and motivating my group and will explain before & during the run the pace we are aiming for and shout out the current pace every mile along with  the predicted finish time”.

Chris Baker:

Pick up the Pace Chris is leading the 4:45 group. I have paced with Chris on numerous occasions with Xempo, and know he has a lot of experience.

Chris has currently run 20 marathons (including Ultra’s, ‘extreme’ and 3 Marathons on 3 consecutive days) as of October 2017 and somewhere between 150-200 half marathons (he has lost count!). He is a running convert after starting in Triathlons and loves to get dirty with a good long distance Obstacle/Mud race. He loves pacing races to help people achieve their goals and their target times and for the camaraderie.

Matthew Pullen:

Pick up the Pace Matt will be leading Sub5 #funbus. I have paced with Matt numerous times, including at London Marathon, and know he will always hit his target.

Matt Pullen is 40 something and from Cambridge. He has been running marathon since he was 18 and once upon a time was hitting his PB of 3:00:53. Since having a family and injuries he just runs marathons for fun now. Yes fun.

He has run well over 70 marathons and hoping to reach 100 in the next couple of years. A seasoned pacer in marathons he has helped people to reach there goal all over the country. London, Manchester, York, Hull, Liverpool to name a few. He can’t wait to make his International Pacing debut in Limassol.

So that is your line up for 2018. We all can’t wait to run with you next year, and look forward to hearing who is joining us. Please add in blog comments if you are taking part, and who you hope to run with. If we can be of help in your journey please let us know.

Oh yeah, my little blog has been nominated for the Running Awards under blog category. If you read and like my blog please take a couple of minutes to vote for me HERE.