pickupthepacepaul

• 10k PB- 37:27 – British 10k 2012

• Half marathon PB- 1:23:25 – Bath Half Marathon 2011

• Marathon PB- 3:08:53 – London Marathon 2013

• 100k PB – 11:43:20 – Grand union Canal

I have always been relatively active, but never took running too seriously when I was younger. In 2006 I did my first event, which was a half marathon, on my birthday. Why…? Just because – no particular reason other than I thought it was a good challenge. Did I train… NO

My next event was in 2007 where I thought I would try and better my time, which I did by 10 minutes. Did I train…? Not really, I’m just stubborn.

My next event was not until 2009, again a half marathon, but this time I was not fit. Not only had I not been running, but I had put on weight and not been training at all… A will to achieve can only get you so far, and I suffered in this event, and ended with shin splints as a reward.

This was the start of my running, I decided I needed to put a bit of effort in and spent the next couple of years doing 10k and half marathons, and I was improving. I was quickly smashing PBs regularly.  I then decided to try a marathon, and I decided this would be the London Marathon in 2011. Of course I did not get into the ballot, which left charity. Lots of good causes but I decided that I would pick a smaller charity for animals; Save the Rhino. Only problem is there was an option to wear their huge rhino costume, and if you know me, you know I can’t help but love a challenge, so you guessed it, my first marathon was in a rhino costume, I was “horny Paul”. I went off too fast and suffered, but hey, at least it was a PB. It did not take long to shave hours off my time… Literally!

Shortly after this I was presented with an opportunity to pace a half marathon for Xempo. The rest is history. I found a love for pacing… I spent years massively chasing PBs and pushing myself to deliver time and time again, but I found that pacing was so much more rewarding… I now regularly pace marathons and half marathons around the world, usually 1:40 half and the sub 4 #funbus. I find helping people to achieve their goals so much more rewarding than pushing myself further.

2013 something wonderful happened, I was blessed with my first child “Benjamin”, and in 2015 “Amelie” come along. Since then training was not the same, and I struggled to stay at my best.

Now the children are starting to get a little older I will start venturing towards getting some speed back, but for now I have found the joy of helping others achieve PB’s far exceeds that of gaining my own. I am a pacer, that is what I do, and I hope to continue to help people hit their targets, and motivate those around me as I go.

I badly sprained my ankle just after Amelie was born and could barely walk, I stayed positive and entered an Ironman for 2016… Why?? I thought I would cross train and like a challenge… I AM AN IRONMAN 👌👌👌