How to Be a Great Ultrarunning Pacer: Lessons From 400 Miles on the Trail

What does it take to be a good ultramarathon pacer? According to Konrad Korth, it takes a lot more than being able to run the miles.

When someone signs up for a 100-mile or 200-mile ultramarathon, there's a good chance they won't be tackling every mile alone. Somewhere along the course, often when exhaustion is setting in and the miles are getting harder, a pacer steps in.

But what exactly does a pacer do? And how do you prepare to help someone through the toughest miles of their race?

On Maybe Running Will Help?, Nicky Tamberrino sits down with ultrarunner Konrad Korth, who has spent roughly 400 miles pacing his brother, Killian Korth, over the past five years. He's helped Killian navigate some of the toughest races in the sport, including record-breaking performances at Moab 240 and other 200-mile events.

Konrad has experienced just about everything a pacer can encounter: brutal climbs in the middle of the night, runners who can't talk, navigation challenges, arguments on the trail, and moments when he's struggling just as much as the person he's supposed to be helping.

His biggest lesson? Being a great pacer isn't about how fast you can run. It's about how well you can show up for someone else.

1. Train for More Miles Than You're Actually Pacing

One of Konrad's biggest recommendations is to prepare for significantly more mileage than your assigned section.

His rule of thumb? If you're pacing someone for 30 miles, be fit enough to run a 50-miler. If you're pacing 50 or 60 miles, consider preparing as though you're running 100. Why? Because pacing isn't like running your own race.

You're not choosing your ideal speed, taking breaks whenever you want, or adjusting the effort based on how you feel. You're matching someone else's needs, often after they've already been running for more than 100 miles.

During Cocodona, Konrad found himself struggling to keep up with Killian on a long, runnable uphill section. Konrad was around mile 40 to 50 of his own effort, while Killian was approaching mile 180. Yet Killian was still moving at a pace that pushed Konrad outside his comfort zone.

The takeaway: Don't train just to survive your pacing assignment. Train to have enough capacity left to support your runner when things get difficult.

2. Remember That It's Not Your Race

This might be the most important rule of pacing. As a pacer, your job is to make someone else's race easier, even when you're having a terrible time yourself.

Konrad remembers pacing 73 miles at Tahoe, his longest pacing assignment in both time and distance. At one point, he arrived at an aid station around 2 a.m. feeling absolutely awful. Ahead of him was another 14-mile climb, and his brother wasn't feeling much better.

But Killian never knew just how badly Konrad was struggling. That was intentional.

Konrad explained that when you're pacing someone, your runner shouldn't have to worry about taking care of you. They're already managing their own physical and mental challenges.

It's a different kind of endurance, one that requires you to put your own discomfort aside and focus on the person depending on you.

3. Know What Kind of Support Your Runner Actually Needs

Not every runner wants the same type of pacer. Some want constant encouragement. Others prefer silence. Some want their pacer leading the way, while others, including Killian, prefer having someone behind them. And some runners need a little tough love.

Konrad is quick to acknowledge that he isn't everyone's ideal pacer. He's not the person who's going to encourage you to spend an hour relaxing at an aid station. His approach is direct, practical, and focused on forward progress.

But he also knows that approach doesn't work for everyone.

Before agreeing to pace someone, it's important to understand their personality and expectations. Talk about how they respond when they're struggling, whether they prefer encouragement or quiet companionship, and how they want you to handle moments when they're falling behind their goals. A great pacer doesn't necessarily have the perfect motivational speech. They know when to talk, when to stay quiet, and when to simply keep moving.

4. Be Prepared to Handle More Than Running

One of the biggest misconceptions about ultramarathon pacing is that your primary responsibility is setting the pace. Konrad argues that the name itself can be misleading.

Most of the time, he's not running ahead of Killian trying to make him faster. He's acting as a companion, navigator, and extra set of eyes.

That means making sure his runner is eating and drinking, checking that they're still on course, and helping them navigate obstacles when exhaustion makes even simple movements difficult.

During Bigfoot, Killian struck his head on a tree while moving through a technical section of trail. In a race where the next competitor might be hours behind, having someone nearby isn't just helpful. It can be an important safety precaution.

Konrad also emphasizes the importance of navigation. Course markings can disappear, get blown away, or become difficult to spot. He uses the Gaia GPS app with downloaded GPX files to double-check their location, even without cell service.

The best pacers are prepared to solve problems before those problems become the runner's responsibility.

5. Learn the Rules Before Race Day

Pacing rules vary from race to race, and misunderstanding them can have serious consequences.

Some events require pacers to carry the same mandatory safety equipment as competitors. Others restrict when pacers can join their runners or prohibit "muling," which means carrying supplies for the runner.

At Leadville, for example, Konrad explains that pacers can carry supplies for their runners. At many other races, that isn't allowed.

He also shares a story about a pacer who stepped off the trail, injured his back, and couldn't catch up with his runner. Because of the event's rules, the runner ultimately received a significant time penalty.

It's a reminder that your preparation should include more than physical training.

Read the race manual, understand the requirements for your section, download the course, and know what equipment you're expected to carry.

The last thing you want is for a preventable mistake to affect someone else's race.

6. Understand That the Hardest Miles Might Become Your Favorite Memories

Konrad grew up in a family that embraced difficult outdoor adventures. His childhood included multi-day bike trips, including a 1,600-mile journey from Fort Collins to Seattle.

He remembers the miserable parts most vividly: terrible weather, relentless headwinds, and the moments when there was no option but to keep going.

That same mentality has carried into his ultrarunning experiences.

He doesn't necessarily enjoy every mile of a long pacing assignment. In fact, he readily admits that running itself isn't always particularly fun.

But he loves what comes afterward: the sense of accomplishment, the stories, and the knowledge that he helped someone accomplish something extraordinary.

For Konrad, the toughest moments often become the most memorable.

And maybe that's what makes pacing such a unique experience. You're voluntarily signing up for someone else's hardest miles, knowing that the reward isn't a medal or a personal record.

It's being part of the reason they made it to the finish line.

So, What Makes a Great Ultrarunning Pacer?

You don't have to be the fastest runner on the trail, and you don't necessarily need hundreds of miles of ultramarathon racing experience.

But you do need to be prepared, dependable, adaptable, and willing to put someone else's goals ahead of your own.

For Konrad, that responsibility is actually what motivates him to train. He admits that it's easier to skip a workout when he's preparing for his own race. When someone else is counting on him, there's a different level of accountability. That's a lesson that extends well beyond ultrarunning.

Sometimes the greatest challenge isn't pushing yourself toward a finish line. It's being the person someone else can count on when they're struggling to reach theirs.

Listen to the full episode of Maybe Running Will Help? with Konrad Korth for more stories from the trails, practical advice for first-time pacers, and a fascinating look at the people behind some of ultrarunning's biggest performances.