NYRR Pace Team: Jo Blackmore

What’s your favorite part about being an NYRR Pace Team member?
My favorite is definitely all the wonderful people I’ve met at the races. I always run with my British flag on my pacer sign and it’s so wonderful when runners will come and find me in the starting corrals. I’ve been pacing for NYRR since 2014 so I’ve met some fantastic runners along the way.

How many TCS New York City Marathons have you paced?
I’ve paced it 7 times. And hopefully many more!

Do you have a great story of pacing a runner(s) and helping them achieve their goal?
At the 2019 New York City Marathon I got talking to a lady around mile 4, who told me she was a breast cancer survivor. She made a deal with herself when she was in the hospital that if she got through it, that she would run a marathon. Going over the Queensboro Bridge, she was starting to tire a little and she said, “You won’t leave me, will you?” To which I replied, “not if you don’t leave me” And she stayed with me until the last 1/2 mile then ran ahead to the finish. She was a warrior!

What’s a misconception people have about being a pacer?
That you need to be a fast runner. I have a huge amount of respect for the faster pacers, but I also firmly believe that the “back of the packers” is where the pacers are a huge help. It’s a really long time to be on your feet for 5 hours and more in the marathon, so it’s very important that we can be there to provide encouragement, positive energy and a little bit of a distraction when you’re deep into the race and feeling like you want to slow down or quit. I wish I’d had a pacer to help me along the last 10K in my first 2 marathons!

What’s the hardest thing about being a pacer?
Having to stay upbeat if you’re not having a good day yourself. And not panicking if the mile markers are a little off. It generally all evens out so don’t speed up or slow down too much!