The GCM Pacers assist participants to their time goals in the ASICS Gold Coast Marathon, China Airlines Half Marathon and Southern Cross University 10km Run. Pacers are experienced runners who aim to maintain an even pace throughout the race with the goal to have you finishing slightly faster (30 seconds or so) than your goal time.
For easy visibility, the pace runners will be carrying a coloured balloon and a goal time sign high amongst the starting runners. Each pace runner will also wear a singlet with the goal time marked on the back. It’s important to know the start zone your pace runner will be in and ensure you choose the same start zone when you enter so you can start the race near your pace runner.
Each pace time will have at least two pace runners who will lead the pace (off net-time) whilst guiding & motivating you throughout the race.
Pacers will run to the ‘Net Time’ (also called ‘Chip Time’). Net Time is the time it takes you to complete the distance once you’ve crossed the start line. Note: Due to participant numbers, it may take several minutes to cross the start line after the gun is fired.
ASICS Gold Coast Marathon Pace Times
| Pace Group | min/km | Balloon Colour | Position | Pacers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hrs 50 mins | 4:02 min/km | Light Purple | Middle of Zone A | Justin Kahlefeldt & Jared Kahlefeldt |
| 3hrs | 4:16 min/km | Light Blue | Front of Zone B | Ethan Pham & Jason Huang |
| 3 hrs 10 mins | 4:30 min/km | Blue | Middle of Zone B | William Gibson & Ron New |
| 3 hrs 20 mins | 4:45 min/km | Pink | Back of Zone B | Ricky Arnold & Matt Brace |
| 3 hrs 30 mins | 4:59 min/km | Green | Front of Zone C | Dan Prince, Thomas Li & Waid Sinclair |
| 3 hrs 40 mins | 5:13 min/km | White | Middle of Zone C | Mark Morton & Ken Pritchard |
| 3 hrs 50 mins | 5:27 min/km | Red | Back of Zone C | Toby Connock & Mugsy Moloney |
| 4 hrs | 5:42 min/km | Black | Front of Zone D | Katie MacKenzie & John Brereton |
| 4 hrs 15 mins | 6:03 min/km | Yellow | Middle of Zone D | Ervin Chan & Yew Khuay Lim |
| 4 hrs 30 mins | 6:24 min/km | Orange | Front of Zone E | Craig Bibby & Phil Calvin |
| 4 hrs 45 mins | 6:46 min/km | Lime Green | Between the 4:30 & 5hr pacers | Kirsty Sutton & Penny Flukes |
| 5 hrs | 7:07 min/km | Purple | Middle of Zone E | Ben Deverall & Jeremy Brown |
| 5 hrs 30 mins | 7:50 min/km | White | Between the 5hr & 6hr pacers | Bec Peterson & Wei Leng Poon |
| 6 hrs | 8:32 min/km | Green | Between the 5:30 & Chaser pacers | Marc Mauger & Hun Kiong Lai |
| Chaser (6hrs 40mins)* | 9:29 min/km | Blue | Back of Zone E | Carmel Grashuis & Peita Hillman |
*Chaser will run to gun time of last wave.
china airlines Half Marathon Pace Times
| Pace Group | min/km | Balloon Colour | Position | Pacers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hr 24mins | 3:59 min/km | Light Blue | Front of Zone A | Emmanuel Vergara & Pieter Van Der Kooij |
| 1 hr 30 mins | 4:16 min/km | Blue | Middle of Zone A | Michael Cacciola & Ben Lonergan |
| 1 hr 40 mins | 4:45 min/km | Green | Back of Zone A | Thanuj Kumar, Jarrod Gibson & David Loader |
| 1 hr 50 mins | 5:13 min/km | Red | Front of Zone B | Sally Matsubara & Humberto Alvarez |
| 2 hrs | 5:42 min/km | Black | Front of Zone C | Regan Tare & John White |
| 2 hrs 10 mins | 6:10 min/km | Yellow | Front of Zone D | Vanisha Vasudivan & Steve Gamble |
| 2 hrs 20 mins | 6:38 min/km | Orange | Front of Zone E | Ben Kelly & Mel Haley |
| 2 hrs 30 mins | 7:07 min/km | Pink | Middle of Zone E | Andy Valente & Eric Seo |
| Chaser (3hrs 20mins)* | 9:28 min/km | Purple | Back of Zone E | Kate Morris & Amanda White |
*Chaser will run to gun time.
Southern Cross University 10km Run Pace Times
| Pace Group | min/km | Balloon Colour | Position | Pacers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 mins | 4:00 min/km | Light Blue | Front of Zone A | Zachery Cacciola & Alastair Snell |
| 50 mins | 5:00 min/km | Red | Front of Zone B | Hung Pham & Pat Carroll |
| 60 mins | 6:00 min/km | Black | Front of Zone C | Natalie Howard & Tina Adams |
| 1 hr 10 mins | 7:00 min/km | Yellow | Front of Zone D | Peter Jones & Jodie Cumner |
ASICS GOLD COAST MARATHON PACER PROFILES
Justin Kahlefeldt
Pace Group: 2hrs 50min
Pace: 4:02 min/km
"I've always wanted to help others with pacing because it's the key ingredient to achieving your goal on race day (I've learnt the hard way a few times!). GC is also a favourite event of mine"
Jared Kahlefeldt
Pace Group: 2hrs 50min
Pace: 4:02 min/km
"My Brother Justin has talked me into this. I am looking forward to motivating the group"
Ethan Pham
Pace Group: 3hrs
Pace: 4:16 min/km
"Breaking the 3hr marathon barrier is a huge goal for many. I'm stoked to be able to help my fellow runners achieve their goals by providing steady and consistent pacing"
Jason Huang
Pace Group: 3hrs
Pace: 4:16 min/km
"Previous experience with pacing"
William Gibson
Pace Group: 3 hrs 10 mins
Pace: 4:30 min/km
"Pacing at local events and the buzz it gives is something very special and unique. Having conversations and helping fellow runners achieve there goals is a great feeling."
Ron New
Pace Group: 3 hrs 10 mins
Pace: 4:30 min/km
"I love to assist runners to achieving a goal in finishing a marathon, motivate them through the event & help them achieve their goal time"
Ricky Arnold
Pace Group: 3 hrs 20 mins
Pace: 4:45 min/km
"The opportunity to journey with runners setting PB dreams at one of the most stunning marathon events in the world. Not only the runners, but also assisting spectators to locate loved ones with goal times"
Matt Brace
Pace Group: 3 hrs 20 mins
Pace: 4:45 min/km
"Injury last year and giving back to the running community"
Dan Prince
Pace Group: 3 hrs 30 mins
Pace: 4:59 min/km
"It's great to give back to the race after having relied on pacers in my previous GC marathons"
Thomas Li
Pace Group: 3 hrs 30 mins
Pace: 4:59 min/km
"Helping people to achieve their goal!"
Waid Sinclair
Pace Group: 3 hrs 30 mins
Pace: 4:59 min/km
"Running with people and seeing them achieving their goals and the emotions that goes with it is something special"
Mark Morton
Pace Group: 3 hrs 40 mins
Pace: 5:13 min/km
"I love chatting to people and helping them achieve their goals"
Ken Pritchard
Pace Group: 3 hrs 40 mins
Pace: 5:13 min/km
"GCM is my home marathon which it makes it very special for me. Most of my runs are on the course so pacing and sharing the course on race day is a highlight. This year also marks my 10th GCM marathon!"
Toby Connock
Pace Group: 3 hrs 50 mins
Pace: 5:27 min/km
"Moved to the country & Gold Coast from England and love the area and helping people achieve their goals"
Mugsy Moloney
Pace Group: 3 hrs 50 mins
Pace: 5:27 min/km
"To help people achieve their goal that they have trained hard for and to see their face once they have achieved it is rewarding"
Katie MacKenzie
Pace Group: 4 hrs
Pace: 5:42 min/km
"GCM is a highlight of every year. I enjoy it whether I am racing or pacing but the biggest thrill is helping other people achieve their goals. Pacing the landmark 4 hr marathon group is my favourite!"
John Brereton
Pace Group: 4 hrs
Pace: 5:42 min/km
"Love to run, this will be my 11th official Gold Coast Marathon distance and will be my 5th time pacing"
Ervin Chan
Pace Group: 4 hrs 15 mins
Pace: 6:03 min/km
"Love for the sport and love to achieve it with others by helping them on race day"
Yew Khuay Lim
Pace Group: 4 hrs 15 mins
Pace: 6:03 min/km
"Guiding runners has always been my passion, I even accepted the role as coach to conduct running clinics beyond pacing to support runners better and earlier in their preparation for marathons"
Craig Bibby
Pace Group: 4 hrs 30 mins
Pace: 6:24 min/km
"The satisfaction of seeing others achieve what could be the biggest challenge of their life"
Phil Calvin
Pace Group: 4 hrs 30 mins
Pace: 6:24 min/km
"After the enjoyment of getting people in the GCM24 to their goals, the opportunity to pace for GCM25 was high on the card to do"
Kirsty Sutton
Pace Group: 4 hrs 45 mins
Pace: 6:46 min/km
"I love the event, it's an incredible opportunity"
Penny Flukes
Pace Group: 4 hrs 45 mins
Pace: 6:46 min/km
"This will be my 9th Gold Coast Marathon, and I wanted to give something back to such a great event. I love meeting new people and helping them achieve their goals, even better at such a great event!"
Ben Deverall
Pace Group: 5 hrs
Pace: 7:07 min/km
"Be part of a wonderful atmosphere"
Jeremy Brown
Pace Group: 5 hrs
Pace: 7:07 min/km
"I get a huge buzz out of pacing people to achieve their goals in the Marathon, especially first timers, and where better to do it than one of the most popular and picturesque marathons in the country!"
Bec Peterson
Pace Group: 5 hrs 30 mins
Pace: 7:50 min/km
"I absolutely love encouraging & supporting people to get across that finish line. I firmly believe that ALL runners matter & should be included whether you run a 2:30 or a 6hr marathon"
Wei Leng Poon
Pace Group: 5 hrs 30 mins
Pace: 7:50 min/km
"Inspired by my marathon pacing experience, I want to motivate and guide runners at GCM 2025, helping them achieve their goals on its scenic, fast course while sharing my passion for running"
Marc Mauger
Pace Group: 6 hrs
Pace: 8:32 min/km
"I really want to help others out in their quest to conquer a marathon distance, with a smile and good times!"
Hun Kiong Lai
Pace Group: 6 hrs
Pace: 8:32 min/km
"To gain new experience of motivating runners in Australia"
Carmel Grashuis
Pace Group: Chaser (6hrs 40mins)
Pace: 9:29 min/km
"I enjoy helping the back-of-the-pack participants to achieve their goal of finishing their marathon"
Peita Hillman
Pace Group: Chaser (6hrs 40mins)
Pace: 9:29 min/km
"I really enjoy helping others to achieve their event goals, particularly first time marathoners who are completing such an awesome achievement. It’s always such a great atmosphere at GCM"
CHINA AIRLINES HALF MARATHON PACER PROFILES
Emmanuel Vergara
Pace Group: 1 hr 24mins
Pace: 3:59 min/km
"It's such a rewarding feeling helping runners achieve their PBs on race morning. In the same way I got my PBs, this is how I can best give back to the running community"
Pieter Van Der Kooij
Pace Group: 1 hr 24mins
Pace: 3:59 min/km
"It would be great to help other runners achieve their goals and be part of the atmosphere"
Michael Cacciola
Pace Group: 1 hr 30 mins
Pace: 4:16 min/km
"Eliud Kipchoge taught us that "no human is limited " and I am inspired by runners pushing their limits and chasing their goals. For me to to run alongside others and help them achieve is pure gold!"
Ben Lonergan
Pace Group: 1 hr 30 mins
Pace: 4:16 min/km
"I'm taking a crack at the GCM Double this year. Pacing the Half is a great way to add purpose to the run and help others hit their goal"
Thanuj Kumar
Pace Group: 1 hrs 40 mins
Pace: 4:45 min/km
"Goal to help runners to achieve their PB's while running with legends at the most iconic course. I have been fortunate enough to pace with so many wonderful runners here"
Jarrod Gibson
Pace Group: 1 hrs 40 mins
Pace: 4:45 min/km
"Having experienced the thrill of helping people achieve their goals at a great event brings me back every year"
David Loader
Pace Group: 1 hrs 40 mins
Pace: 4:45 min/km
"I really enjoy pacing and helping runners achieve their goals. It is extremely rewarding"
Sally Matsubara
Pace Group: 1 hrs 50 mins
Pace: 5:13 min/km
"Every year I do enjoy pacing in my local race, Gold Coast!"
Humberto Alvarez
Pace Group: 1 hrs 50 mins
Pace: 5:13 min/km
"Pacing, to me, is a way to give back to the awesome running community and stay connected. I truly enjoy helping people achieve their running goals"
Regan Tare
Pace Group: 2 hrs
Pace: 5:42 min/km
"I love the whole atmosphere. I enjoy encouraging others toward realising their running goals, to see the sense of achievement and smiles on my groups face. It’s rewarding"
John White
Pace Group: 2 hrs
Pace: 5:42 min/km
"I'm passionate about running and supporting others. I believe running fosters mental and physical well-being, and love to help others achieve their goals while enjoying the journey"
Vanisha Vasudivan
Pace Group: 2 hrs 10 mins
Pace: 6:10 min/km
"Being a pacer lets you share the love of running with others. You get to lead a group of runners, help them stay motivated, and experience the race in a different way"
Steve Gamble
Pace Group: 2 hrs 10 mins
Pace: 6:10 min/km
"My way of giving back to the running community after racing for many years! And I Love helping people achieve their goals it is so rewarding!"
Ben Kelly
Pace Group: 2 hrs 20 mins
Pace: 6:38 min/km
"To help others achieve their goals, be it a time or just to finish is an amazing experience as it allows me to give back to this amazing community"
Mel Haley
Pace Group: 2 hrs 20 mins
Pace: 6:38 min/km
"Supporting the running community and helping others achieve their goals like others have done for me over the years"
Andy Valente
Pace Group: 2 hrs 30 mins
Pace: 7:07 min/km
"I love pacing because when people tell me at the end of the run how happy they are to achieve their goals, it makes it all worthwhile"
Eric Seo
Pace Group: 2 hrs 30 mins
Pace: 7:07 min/km
"I’m passionate about running and always looking to challenge myself to new limits. Being a pacer gives me the chance to encourage and motivate fellow runners to reach their goals"
Kate Morris
Pace Group: Chaser (3hrs 20mins)
Pace: 9:28 min/km
"I love supporting other runners in the Gold Coast Marathon events. Some may remember me as the happy little shithead on the side of the road at the half marathon. I love helping people reach a PB"
Amanda White
Pace Group: Chaser (3hrs 20mins)
Pace: 9:28 min/km
"Pacers are an amazing part of the race when trying to achieve results and have been there for me and helped myself achieve my goals and I’d love to give back and do the same to motivate others"
Southern Cross University 10km run PACER PROFILES
Zachery Cacciola
Pace Group: 40 mins
Pace: 4:00 min/km
"Running has created so many lifelong memories, and to be able to share that on course at Gold Coast with some amazing athletes striving to also create lifelong memories is why I want to pace"
Alastair Snell
Pace Group: 40 mins
Pace: 4:00 min/km
"I’ve had great experiences running with pacers and I want to pay that forward. A sub 40 10 is a huge milestone - I'd love to help people hit that and what better place to do it at than here!"
Hung Pham
Pace Group: 50 mins
Pace: 5:00 min/km
"GCM is a great international event and I enjoy helping participants achieve their goals"
Pat Carroll
Pace Group: 50 mins
Pace: 5:00 min/km
"To give back to the sport and to help runners achieve their goal"
Natalie Howard
Pace Group: 60 mins
Pace: 6:00 min/km
"I look forward to helping other runners reach their goals. I understand and respect the role of a good pacer"
Tina Adams
Pace Group: 60 mins
Pace: 6:00 min/km
"I enjoy helping others get their goal, to see the nerves at the start line, then help to keep them on track, it is ultimate seeing their face when they have finished and reached their goal, its PRICELESS"
Peter Jones
Pace Group: 1 hrs 10 mins
Pace: 7:00 min/km
"I’ve been running marathons for over 30 years. The GCM is the best event in Australia, and having the opportunity to be involved in it, whilst helping runners achieve their goals, is a real honour"
Jodie Cumner
Pace Group: 1 hrs 10 mins
Pace: 7:00 min/km
"I love helping people to achieve their running goals"
Reach your ASICS Gold Coast Marathon, China Airlines Half Marathon or Southern Cross University 10km Run goal and purchase a silicon pace band for $5.
Pace bands will be available at the "GCM Collectables" booth at the Gold Coast Check In Centre. All pace group times for each race will be available.
Want to be a pacer in 2025? (Allocation Exhausted)
To adequately carry out the pacer role you’ll need to be able to comfortably run the pace you’ve nominated for. You also need to be prepared to offer encouragement and motivate runners. All volunteer pacers will receive a race entry to their designated race and a pacer singlet.
The Pacer Program is curated and supported with assistance from Pat Carroll via Pat Carroll Online & Onland.
Pacer allocations are now FULL for 2025
