Meet the Manchester Half Marathon pacers excited to help you #paceyourself on the day

Sporty thirst quencher, ERDINGER Alkoholfrei, has become a regular sight at endurance events around the country.

Its isotonic properties can help anyone with an active lifestyle to replace lost fluids quickly after exercise.

At the Manchester Half Marathon, ERDINGER Alkoholfrei is going one step further in its duty to endurance athletes, and helping participants by sponsoring the pacers.

The volunteer group of unsung heroes is made up of experienced runners who complete the course at a managed pace so that others can achieve a set time.

Looking forward to helping you #paceyourself, pacing newbie, Sarah Brown, and veteran pacer, Jason Rippingale, shared their excitement about volunteering at the Manchester Half Marathon, as well as their thoughts on the new sponsor.

Sarah is a member of Stockport Harriers and says she always sets her fastest times in Manchester. This year, she is thrilled to be running her first race as a pacer, alongside her husband, Stephen.

She said: “I usually zone out so that a race is all about me but I’m really good with split times and controlling my pace so will be mindful of everyone around me. Once I’ve done the first mile and got into a rhythm, I know I’ll just settle into it - we ran the Berlin Marathon at the end of September and have been training at pacer rate since so it should come naturally.

“As a pacer, I’ll carry a flag so I can be seen easily and will need to adjust to that. I’ll be looking forward to a thirst-quenching ERDINGER Alkoholfrei at the end of the race. If anyone spots me on the course on Sunday, though, give me a shout and a wave as it definitely helps to have people cheering us on.”

Jason Rippingale (Jase the Pace) is an experienced pacer, having completed over 60