Saucony Cambridge Half Marathon 2016 | 1hr 45 Pacer Profiles

1 HOUR 45 MINUTE PACERS

We’ve been in touch with all of our brilliant pacers for the Saucony Cambridge Half Marathon 2016 as we wanted to find out a little bit more about the people who will be getting us to the finish line in time!

These are the people to stick with if you’re wanting to hit the 1 hour 45 minutes mark… Keep an eye out for the pacers who will be wearing a pacers t-shirt & a pacers flag!

PLEASE NOTE: Our Cambridge Half Marathon Pacers will be racing on chip times rather than gun time. This will ensure an accurate finish time for all runners wanting to run with the pacers.

1hr 45 min Pacers

Name: Christof Schwiening

Age: 49

Best half marathon time: I have only raced three half marathons. My first was not timed, my second was 1:49:11 (6th Nov. 1983) and was such a bad experience that I didn’t do another one until the Bosworth Half in May 2015 (1:22:04)

Favourite half marathon location: I dislike hills, which rules out the three that I have done and I guess running 53 laps of an athletic track doesn’t count. I would say the first half of the London Marathon - but it is spoilt by the need to do the second half. Cambridge certainly wins on lack of elevation change, atmosphere, views and support!

When did you start running? I ran for a few months aged 17 and thought that I was as fast as I could get. I didn’t understand anything about training nor did my parents and I gave-up - I didn’t like being beaten. It took 25 years before I bought a pair of trainers and gave it another go.

What or who got you into running? My daughter George, I took her to training sessions at the Cambridge Triathlon Club and got bored of sitting in the car working. I joined in running around the grass track in the summer. Even though some of the kids running were very young I was almost always last. But, this time I stuck at it and got faster as a result. I am now hooked…

What advice would you give to someone running their first half marathon? It depends on their level. I wish someone had told me as a new runner aged 17 to relax and enjoy the first 5 km, to run at a very easy pace and let others go ahead. That way, by 15 km I would have been overtaking people and feeling invincible. If it is your first half, your time is really not that important - you will be able to beat it - instead enjoy the run and especially the finish and make sure you look strong for the cameras! When you get home book yourself into your next half - you will have a target you can beat. Of course, if you are looking for a time of around 1:45 you could do no better than finding me at the start and sticking to my heels like glue!

——————

Name: Carlos Sanz Alejandre

Age: 17

Best half marathon time: 1:19:32(HM)

Favourite half marathon location: Valencia

When did you start running? In 2007

What or who got you into running? Because my father is a runner

What advice would you give to someone running their first half marathon? Drink enough!