Move With P3R
P3R Pace Team
 |
 |
Introducing the New P3R Pace Team: Your Path to Personal Bests!
We're thrilled to announce the launch of the P3R Pace Team — a dedicated group of experienced pacers designed to help you achieve your race goals, whether you're aiming for a personal best or just looking for consistent pacing throughout the course.
Why Join the P3R Pace Team?
Expert Guidance: Our pacers are experienced athletes who know how to maintain steady, achievable pacing at a variety of race distances.
Motivation & Support: From start to finish, the P3R Pace Team is here to cheer you on, offer encouragement, and keep you on track toward your goal.
Multiple Pace Options: Whether you're a first-time runner or a seasoned marathoner, we offer pacing for a wide range of times to suit every runner’s needs.
How it Works
Our pacers will guide you to your goal time, keeping an even and consistent pace throughout the race. Each pacer will be clearly marked with a designated time goal, making it easy for you to find the right pace for your personal race strategy.
Pace Team Highlights:
- Available at all major P3R events
- Experienced and encouraging pacers
- Free to join—just look for the pace sign on race day
- Multiple pacing options available to suit a variety of time goals
Have you ever wanted to give back to the running community? If so your chance is now…sign up to apply to become a P3R Pacer by completing the application form.
What’s included you ask…
1) free pacer singlet
2) race registrations covered
3) the joy of helping others reach their goal
4) pacer appreciation events
Meet Our Pacer Leadership Team
Daniel Heckert
Dan's introduction into running with a group was when he joined Steel City Road Runners in 2011. His path started with 5K's and gradually increased to half marathons. During SCRR Training runs, Dan soon found himself helping lead the pace that he was running. That quickly turned into wanting to help others. In 2015 he paced his first official event, the EQT 10 Miler. After that Dan was hooked on pacing and found being part of the SCRR Pace Team was exactly what he was looking for. In the years following, he helped lead and participate in the SCRR Pace Team. His focus was on the 5K's and 10K's. Dan really enjoyed helping newer runners believe in themselves. This comment from Dan sums up his experience and passion for pacing: "There is just something special about helping a runner hit their goal in a 5K and seeing the excitement on their face. I know that very often that leads them to believe they can go after longer distances or faster times. Most importantly, they see how running is a family and a community."
Elijah Shekinah
After getting a little burned out on racing marathons in 2015, Elijah decided to start focusing more on pacing and giving back to the running community. In 2016, he paced 5 marathons and had a blast doing it! He paced 4 more in 2017 and 5 in 2018. Then in 2019 someone he paced in 2018 to a BQ spotted him as they were lining up for the 2019 Boston Marathon and thanked Elijah for helping him get there! That is just one of numerous accounts of gratitude that Elijah has received over his many years of pacing. It has given him more motivation to run races than any quests for PRs ever did.
Natalie Spang
Natalie’s pacing experience all started in 2015 with the YMCA PGH Turkey Trot. Since then, Natalie has been pacing for P3R (SCRR) & the Pittsburgh Marathon. Before becoming a pacer herself, Natalie benefited from one particular pacer who helped her across the finish line several times. After being on the receiving end of pacing, Natalie wanted to give back and do the same for others. She started by pacing SCRR Saturday group runs and that led to pacing the PGH marathon, her favorite event to pace each year! Pittsburgh running events are always in need of volunteers who want to help. Pacing and doing what she loves has been a very fulfilling experience. She looks forward to volunteering with P3R and continuing this pace group for years to come. Helping others over the finish line and hitting their goals is the ultimate reason she paces. The pure joy other runners get when crossing that finish line makes her heart happy! As she always says, “run to smile!”
Jeff Cicchini
Jeff has been involved with the Pittsburgh running community since 2015. Since that time, he has completed 2 Full Marathons and numerous Half Marathons. He has been pacing for 8 years now as a way of giving back to the running community which has supported him on achieving many running goals. What he finds so rewarding about being a pacer, is helping runners achieve their own goals while pacing them to the finish line.
| Event | Date |
| UPMC 5K | May 3rd marathon weekend |
| Greenfield Glide 5K | June |
| Brentwood Firecracker 5K | July 4th |
| St. Barnabas 5K | August |
| Brookline Breeze 5K | August |
| Historic Hill 5K | August |
| Steelers 5K | September |
|
Fly By 5K
|
September |
| Great Race 5k & 10k | September |
| Pittsburgh Pens 6.6k | October |
| EQT 10K | November |
| Harvest Moon 5K | November |
| Pittsburgh YMCA Turkey Trot 5K & 5mi | Thanksgiving morning |