An UWSer Setting the Pace at the NYC Marathon; ‘There’s Nothing Like the Humanity of It’

By Tracy Zwick

It’s hard enough meeting your own goals in a marathon, whether that means achieving a personal best, hitting a goal time, or simply crossing the finish line. Imagine carrying the aspirations and dreams of dozens of others on your shoulders while gripping a pacing pole for 26.2 miles. 

That’s what Upper West Sider Barbara Mann has done for the last four NYC Marathons as an official New York Road Runners (NYRR) pacer – a runner who runs a set pace for every single mile of the race to help others accomplish their time goals. If you check Barbara’s watch at the end of the marathon, every one of the 26.2 miles will have been run at the exact same pace. Last year she paced the 8:00 minute/mile group and her splits ranged from 8:00 per mile to 8:02, uphill and down, from adrenaline-saturated mile one to the grueling grind down Fifth Avenue at mile 23. She and the runners who stuck with her crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 29 minutes, as promised. 

The NYRR doesn’t pay pacers, and it’s not an easy gig to get or execute. Pacers sacrifice their own speed, typically finishing about 30 minutes slower than they would if they were racing. Yet for Barbara, a 46-year old mother of twin 12-year-old girls and a full-time pulmonologist and professor of medicine at Mount Sinai, pacing’s an honor and a thrill. This year, she’s leading the 7:49-minute/mile group. 

How’d you get started running? 

I ran cross-country in high school and loved it, then ran recreationally in college and afterwards to stay fit and for stress relief. I got more serious about it in medical school and on a dare I signed up for the Marine Corp Marathon in 2004. That was my first marathon. This year’s NYC race will be my 15th.  

How’d you get started pacing? 

Around 2017, I enrolled in NYRR’s Group Training. I’d realized from racing that I had a little more speed than I thought, and I wanted to improve. I noticed pacers during races, and I reached out about becoming one. You have to have run a number of marathons and half-marathons to qualify, and they start you off with lower stakes races. I paced at the Shape Half-Marathon in Central Park and a 12-mile tune-up. Then, in 2018, a spot opened up in the marathon. I ran with a co-pacer that year finishing in four hours and I learned a lot. After that I paced the 3:40 group, then the 3:30 group twice. This is my first year pacing at 3:25.

Were you nervous? 

Oh my gosh, every time I’m nervous! I have stress dreams about it every time! When you’re running by yourself you can only disappoint yourself. But when you’re pacing, people are counting on you. 

What should people know about joining a pace group? 

We run every mile at the exact same pace – we even have an informal competition among NYC marathon pacers about who runs the most even splits. So if you are negative splitting (running the second  half of the race faster than the first) or want to start out easy, don’t go with a pace group. If you want to lock into a pace, a pace group’s for you. 

How do you prepare differently as a pacer compared to racing?

I practice a lot trying to hit the pace I’m assigned starting 2-3 months out. I’ll do a mile or two looking at my watch several times each mile, then I’ll go without looking at my watch. I focus on how it feels in my body because GPS can be inaccurate on bridges and in other spots. In general, when I run, once I settle on a pace, I run like a metronome. That’s just my style.

What’s the most rewarding part of being a pacer in such a big race?

I’ve gotten so much from the running community. To give back and help others reach their running goals is just so satisfying.  People express so much gratitude on the course and after. Personally, to be able to hit a different goal is rewarding too. I’m always chasing time goals in my own running. It’s nice to reframe running as not just a speed endeavor. That’s one goal and it’s usually my goal, but there are others. 

Most challenging part? 

When you get tired! Part of your job is to make it look effortless, but I had a moment last year in the Bronx when I questioned whether I could do it. I fell back on my mantras: Run with control. Run with courage. Run with hope. Run with gratitude. It helps.  

What’s your mental prep? 

I just go in as prepared as possible. I wear two watches and a pace band that tells me exactly what time I should be at and I check them every mile and kilometer of the race.

How do you support runners struggling to keep pace?

Most runners don’t tell me they’re struggling; they often just drop back. There’s some chatting within the pace group, but when I talk I tend to speed up. I want to interact, but I also need to concentrate, especially at the beginning as I find that metronome groove. 

How many runners start with you and how many finish with you? 

Maybe about 30 at the start. A big pack stays with me till about mile 18 or 20, then there’s a drop-off. From the Bronx on it often feels like I’m running alone. 

What are some of the most common mistakes you see runners make during the race? 

Going out too fast, not fueling early, and not drinking enough. 

Where do you station your kids and other family and friends to cheer?

Living on the UWS, it’s easy for them to watch in Central Park. They’re usually by the Met. If they want to see me from multiple spots, I recommend starting on First Avenue, then heading to Fifth Ave. at the same cross street. 

Any advice for runners who aren’t concerned about their finish time or first-timers? 

Don’t do anything on race day that you haven’t practiced in training.  Consistency is key.  

What’s your favorite part of the NYC Marathon course?

I love the beginning so much when they play Frank Sinatra and the cannon goes off! Then entering Manhattan’s a highlight, because I’m on my home turf and know I’ll  see my friends and family there. 

You’ve run a lot of marathons. How does the NYC race rate? 

There’s nothing like it. It’s my favorite day of the year in the city. There’s something so spectacular about how New Yorkers come out and cheer – the humanity of it. But it is a hard race! It’s very hilly and very crowded. 

How do you celebrate after pacing a marathon?

I meet my kids and they usually grab the pace stick and run around with it and pretend they’re a pacer. 

Best place to run from the UWS? 

I’m a park girl. I  like the big 6-mile loop in Central Park.  I go at all hours and feel safe there. 

Best UWS place to go after a run? 

I love Orwashers on Amsterdam and 81st. You can get a good breakfast sandwich and if you’re sweaty after running you can sit outside and  you won’t offend anyone. Black Lab Cafe at Amsterdam and 80th is a new family favorite, and my kids are really into ramen right now. Jin Ramen is phenomenal.

Best shops for runners on the UWS? 

Super Runners shop on 79th and Amsterdam for running stuff and Shishi Boutique on Broadway and 93rd for work and casual clothes. The people there are so helpful and the prices are good!

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