OnPace Race

06/08/2026

Every runner reaches a point where the conversation stops and the work begins. 🏃🏻‍♂️

This week at the Maritime Marathon in Wisconsin, Paul witnessed a powerful moment between two friends. One runner had signed up for the race the night before and was struggling through the miles. Instead of focusing on pace, splits, or distance, his friend gave him a simple reminder:

“Remember your why.”

As pacers, we all have phrases we lean on when the miles get tough.

Ken’s favorite:
👉 “If your why is stronger than the pain, you win.”

Jess’s favorite:
👉 “It’s going to hurt whether you’re running or walking, so let’s just keep running.”

The truth is that every marathon, half marathon, and even every training run eventually becomes a mental challenge. When your legs are tired, your pace slips, and doubt creeps in, your “why” becomes your fuel.

So before your next race, ask yourself:

Why are you doing this?

Because when the hard miles come—and they will—that answer might be exactly what gets you to the finish line.

💬 What’s your “why” for running? Share it in the comments.

05/31/2026

Way to go Jonathan! 🙌♥️👏

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

05/31/2026

What happens when you take experienced American pacers and drop them into one of the biggest marathon traditions in South Africa? 🇿🇦

You learn that pacing can look very different—and still accomplish the exact same goal.

In this week’s Sunday Pacer School, Paul and Carrie Miller share what they learned pacing the Cape Town Marathon in South Africa.

From tambourines keeping cadence, to singing and chanting throughout the race, to the unique “bus” system that keeps runners together, the experience was unlike anything we’ve seen in the United States.

What stood out most wasn’t that one approach was better than another. It was seeing how different cultures create community, support runners, and help people achieve their goals.

At On Pace Race, we believe there’s always something to learn from fellow runners around the world. 🌎

💬 Have you ever raced or paced in another country? What was the biggest difference you noticed?

05/26/2026

What a weekend in the Northwoods 🌲🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

The Minocqua Northwoods Escape Full and Half Marathon by Blue Raven Productions: Wisconsin Race Management brought cool Northwoods air, beautiful trail views, and one very fast sweeper team 😂

Huge congratulations to every runner who showed up over Memorial Day weekend to tackle the scenic Bearskin Trail course in Minocqua, Wisconsin. From first-time half marathoners to marathon veterans chasing Boston qualifiers, this race had something special for everyone. The flat and fast trail course delivered incredible energy all morning long. 

A massive shoutout to our amazing On Pace Race pacers who helped runners stay calm, confident, and on target every mile of the way.

Half Marathon Pace Team:
• Michael Smith - 1:45
• Josh Tarnowski - 2:00
• Janine Van Rixel - 2:15
• Kristi Traska - Sweeper

Full Marathon Pace Team:
• Katherine Longley - 4:00
• Sarah Whitfield - 4:15
• Kara Cherne - 4:30
• Caroline Mihalski - 4:45
• Lisa Rippe - 5:00
• Rhonda Dunn - 5:30
• Michael Dunn - Sweeper

And yes… the sweeper came in at a RECORD-SETTING 5:40:50 😂🔥

Apparently even the sweepers were feeling fast on this course.

Thank you to every runner who trusted our pacers, shared miles with us, and made this race weekend unforgettable. Happy pace, happy race ❤️

05/25/2026

What if pacing wasn’t about one exact finish time… but a moving window of support? 🤔

In Episode 21 of Sunday Pacer School, Paul shares one of the most interesting pacing strategies we’ve seen while pacing the in South Africa.

Instead of one pace leader trying to hit an exact second, their “bus system” creates a moving pace window:
• Lead bus
• Mid bus
• Back of the bus

For a 4:15 marathon group, pacers may finish anywhere from 4:13 to 4:15 while still helping runners achieve their goal.

Even more interesting?

The pacing starts intentionally slower, even on a flat course, to allow runners time to warm up properly before settling into goal pace.

It’s a great reminder that smart pacing is about strategy, patience, and effort management, not panic pacing from the first mile.

Huge thanks to the Cape Town Marathon team for the warm welcome and for sharing a different perspective on pacing. 🫶

💬 What pacing strategy has worked best for YOU?

05/23/2026

What a day at the La Jolla Half Marathon last weekend! 🙌

Perfect weather. Stunning coastal views. Tough climbs. Strong runners. Incredible energy from start to finish. 💥

From the Del Mar Fairgrounds to the finish at La Jolla Cove, runners experienced one of Southern California’s most beautiful point-to-point courses. The climb through Torrey Pines tested every runner, while the ocean views and community support made every mile worth it.

A huge thank you to the volunteers, spectators, and runners who made this race weekend so memorable. Your energy carried the course all morning long. 🫶

We’re especially proud of our 26-member On Pace Race pace team who showed up ready to lead, encourage, motivate, and help runners chase their goals while keeping the experience fun every step of the way.

Thank you to MUSH Foods for powering our pace team this weekend!

And a special thank you to Bart Calame and the Kiwanis Club of La Jolla for continuing to put on one of the premier running events in Southern California.

Happy pace. Happy race. We can’t wait to see you next year! 🏃🏻‍♂️

05/19/2026

CLEVELAND MARATHON 🤝 THE BEST PACE TEAM ❤️‍🔥

The camaraderie, leadership, and heart of this team was unmatched all weekend long. On one of the hottest race days — with the course even being red flagged 🚩

Our pacers still showed up with relentless positivity, steady splits, and endless support for every runner chasing a goal 🏁🪧⏱️

So proud to represent On Pace Race and be part of a team that serves the running community so selflessly. Happy Pace, Happy Race forever ❤️

Huge thank you to MUSH for keeping us fueled all race weekend 🥣

05/18/2026

Another unforgettable weekend at the Cleveland Marathon. 💥

As written by ⤵️
From the expo on Friday with friends, to a windy 10K on Saturday, to pacing the half marathon this morning through heat and humidity that tested everyone out there.

Going into the weekend, I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d even make it to the starting line after hurting my back last week. A lot of stretching, yoga, and patience helped get me there.

But today wasn’t about me.

Today was about showing up for the runners counting on the 2:00 half marathon pace group with On Pace Race.

I focused on staying steady mile after mile, keeping the energy up, and helping runners stay calm through tough conditions. One runner stayed with me nearly the entire race before pulling ahead near mile 12. Seeing her after the finish and hearing she ran a 1:58 PR made the whole day worth it.

The heat was no joke today. So many runners dug deep out there. Huge respect to every athlete who showed up, every volunteer helping on course, and every person cheering from the sidelines.

Grateful to have crossed the finish line healthy and even more grateful to help runners chase goals bigger than a finish time.

10K: 50:19
Half Marathon pacing finish: 1:59:25

Congratulations Jonathan! 🎉

05/17/2026

Celebrating 9 years! 🎉

No big master plan.
No idea it would grow into pacing nearly 100 races across the country with over 1,600 pacers helping runners chase finish lines, PRs, and dreams. ✨

What started with a small group of runners willing to hold a sign and encourage others has grown into a family built on one simple idea:

♥️ Happy pace. Happy race.

This episode of Sunday Pacer School was filmed right in the middle of pacing the Green Bay, where it all began. 🙌

From pacing that very first Green Bay Marathon in 2017 to today, Jessica, Amanda, Kristen, and so many others have helped shape what On Pace Race has become. 🏃🏻‍♀️

To every runner who has trusted a pacer, cheered for a pacer, or joined the pace team over the last nine years, thank you. 🫶

To every company who has sponsored our pace team, such as , we appreciate you! 😘

YOU are the reason this community keeps growing. 👏

05/16/2026

Freaky Friday: Race Weekend Edition 🌀🏃🏼‍♀️👯‍♀️

Marathon runner vs. the support system! Safe to say… we both deserve a medal & some 😂🙌🏽

Huge thanks to our sponsor, MUSH — powering us through race weekend ❤️🥣