Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the past two editions of the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) took place as virtual events.

Now with the pandemic well and truly over in Malaysia, 2022 marks the full-scale physical return of all KLSCM categories on 12 and 13 November 2022. As such, pacer trials were recently held and a team of pacers were chosen for both the half and the full marathon categories.

The pacer trials were rigorous and in order to be chosen as pacers, certain requirements had to be met.

Requirements to be a pacer 

What are the requirements to be a successful pacer, according to the race’s official coach Mark Williams?

Said Mark, “A successful pacer is one who completed the race in a time around their designated pace time. For a marathon, it should be no more than two minutes faster, but NEVER slower, and completes it with consistent pacing.”

“For example, on a completely flat course, a four hour pacer for the marathon should complete each kilometre in around 5:41 mins and not have some kilometres where the pace is 5:20 mins and some where the pace drops to 6:10 mins. Of course, pacing on undulating or hilly courses is more challenging,” he added.

In order to be a pacer, Mark stresses that it is important to be an accomplished runner with plenty of racing under your belt.

He said, “Pacers should never be on their first or second marathon if they are pacing the distance. I would actually say that they should have completed at least 10 to 15 races at the distance that they are pacing before undertaking the role.”

How to get pacing right 

To get pacing right, Mark reiterated that runners should:

1. Prepare for the run like a race

Said Mark, “To pace, you need to train, recover, sleep, eat and hydrate like you are training for a race. Basically what you are doing is a long tempo with added responsibility. You need to train consistently at that pace.”

2. Know the course

Said Mark, “One of the most difficult parts of pacing is what to do on hilly or undulating courses. This is where knowing the course is essential in order to plan the paces. As a general rule of thumb, you should maintain the same effort level on hills as on the flat, based on rate of perceived exertion.”

“This does mean that you will slow down. If you are running 5:41 mins per km on the flat parts of the course and you have a hill where you slow down to 6 mins per km for one km, then you know that you have to catch up 19 seconds on the flat and adjust your pace accordingly,” continued Mark.

3. Decide whether to be a talker 

Said Mark, “Some runners want consistent talk throughout the run and it may well be completely one way to allow the runner to disassociate themselves with the uncomfortable feeling or pain during the race. There will also be those runners who want complete silence and the pacer just to do their job. The best piece of advice that I can give to a pacer is to make the decision on the day when you have got a feel for the runners in your pack.”

4. Front running 

Said Mark, “As the pacer, you are going to have to run at the front of your group the whole way. Get used to this in your training.”

With that in mind, Mark adds to spare a thought for the pacers on race day. He said, “I have paced a race once and found it one of the most difficult things that I have done in my running career – and I have over 550 races on my legs.”

Who are the KLSCM pacers

With that in mind, this year’s KLSCM pacers include runners from all walks of life who are united by their shared passion for running.

Husband and wife runners

A husband and wife duo, Seah Leong San and Sim Kuan Kuek are pacing a six hour full marathon. 

Seah is a seasoned runner who has been running for many years and has paced three marathons at KLSCM. 

Said Seah, 55, a business affairs senior manager, on why he keeps returning to pace KLSCM, “If my fitness allows me, I will continue to pace and bring more people to achieve the life goal of running a marathon. I enjoy encouraging more runners to continue running, to not be afraid of difficulties and to surpass their limitations with the spirit of running.”

Her hubby and running mentor

Sim took up running to bond with her hubby. 

Said Sim, 54, a housewife, “My hubby is my mentor in running. It is always great to run alongside him. He raised me up from a housewife to a marathoner and an ultra runner. Now I can understand why people can spend hours running on the roads and of course, there’s no nagging when he goes for training now.”

Like her hubby, Sim too, is not new to pacing, having joined several races as a pacer previously. But will be her first KLSCM in the role of a pacer.

Sim said, “KLSCM is one of the most popular races in Malaysia. It is of great satisfaction for me to bring runners to the finishing line, especially for first-time marathoners.”

She added, “As a pacer, I enjoy smiling along the way and sharing words of encouragement to assist and push runners to keep going to achieve their goals. A participant can run at their own speed to achieve their personal best timing, but a pacer needs to run at a steady pace to guide the runners to finish the race within their targeted timing.”

From Spartathlon finisher to KLSCM pacer 

Also pacing the full marathon distance is David Christopher, an experienced marathoner and ultra runner who will be pacing runners aiming for a 4 hour 30 min timing. 

The first Malaysian to have completed the gruelling 246km Spartathlon from Athens to Sparta in Greece, KLSCM is the first time when David is an official pacer at a running event.

Why did he decide to take part in KLSCM as a pacer? Said David, 41, a QC Manager, “Pacers always seem to be having a good time. Whenever I’ve asked a pacer to describe their experience, they always speak highly of it and how much joy it brought them. I want a piece of this, I want to experience this.”

His experiences at ultra running races has taught David many lessons which he will be bringing to his KLSCM pacer gig. 

Taking his pacer duty seriously

Said David, “Numerous things can go wrong during an ultra marathon, but many of these things can be foreseen and planned for beforehand. Having a Plan A, B and C to deal with each foreseeable potential problem can rescue or salvage your race.”

“So preparing for my pacer duties at KLSCM is something I take seriously. This includes working together fruitfully with my fellow pacers of the same target time and help each other if any of us are struggling for whatever reason.”

Giving back to the running community as pacer 

Also taking part as a pacer is Nor Amalina Yunus, 30. Having been influenced to take up running by her colleague, Amalina became a runner in 2017 and her passion for the sport has grown. 

She said, “Running is a great way for me to release my stress and meet people from different backgrounds. In six years of running, I’ve done fun runs, tower races, half, full, ultra marathon road races and trail events. Each of them has been a priceless experience for me from start to finish.”

Now she hopes to give back to the running community by being a pacer at KLSCM. Amalina, an IT executive, will be pacing a three hour half marathon.

Hopes to bring good vibes and a memorable experience to KLSCM

She said, “This is my first experience as an official pacer for a running event and I am looking forward to seeing everyone after two years of the pandemic. I bet the nervousness of being a participant and pacer will be completely new to me.”

She continued, “The feeling of wearing big balloons and helping everyone make it to the finish line. The most important thing is that me and my pacer partner are able to complete our responsibilities successfully. Pacers enjoy our task and bring good vibes and a memorable experience to everyone.”

Best of luck to all pacers 

Mark wishes all the KLSCM race day pacers the best of luck in performing their duties. 

He said, “The role should never be underestimated and it’s such an important role in race day. If you are a pacer, then I wish you the best of luck and hopefully, the tips in this article have been of some use.”