Inspiration 4 | The Pacers in Our Lives
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In ultramarathons — the grueling 100, 200, and even 250 mile races — runners often have pacers join them for sections of the journey. A pacer doesn’t carry the race for the runner, and they can’t magically erase the miles ahead or take the "grind" away. The runner still has to put one foot in front of the other. But during the hardest stretches — through exhaustion, darkness, steep climbs, injuries, blisters, and moments of doubt — the pacer comes alongside them to help them keep going.
Sometimes the pacer talks and encourages.
Sometimes they remind the runner to eat, drink water, or slow down.
Sometimes they help keep the runner focused when their mind is overwhelmed.
And sometimes, they simply stay close enough so the runner knows they are not alone.
There’s something deeply human about that.
Life feels a lot like an ultramarathon. It is long, unpredictable, exhausting at times, and full of seasons where we wonder if we have enough strength left to keep moving forward. There are moments of joy and celebration, but there are also stretches filled with grief, fear, stress, disappointment, and uncertainty.
We often tell ourselves we should be able to handle everything alone and there are times where we simply have to. We want to be independent, strong, self-sufficient, and capable. We admire resilience and toughness. But even the strongest ultramarathon runners in the world understand something important: having someone beside you during the hardest miles can make all the difference.
That is what close friends are like.
True friends become the pacers in our lives. They step into our difficult seasons and do what they can to understand what we are carrying. They may never fully feel our pain, but they try to walk beside us through it. They check in when life gets heavy. They sit with us in silence when words are hard to find. They remind us who we are when discouragement clouds our thinking. They celebrate our victories and milestones with genuine joy, no matter how small or large they may seem.
A good friend cannot run the race for us, but they can help us keep going when we feel exhausted. And they believe in us and know we will make it to the end, even if don't feel like we will. They don't give up on us, but stay with us as we work through whatever we need to work through.
Sometimes their greatest gift is simply their presence.
In ultramarathons, pacers often join runners during the darkest and most difficult parts of the course — late at night, when fatigue is overwhelming and isolation begins to set in. Life has those stretches too. Seasons where we feel emotionally drained, uncertain about the future, or overwhelmed by responsibilities and pain. During those moments, having someone walk beside us can bring strength we did not know we still had.
And the beautiful thing is that friendship is often mutual. At one point in life, we may need someone pacing beside us. At another point, we may become the pacer for someone else. Or maybe we're running the race together the whole time.
The long journey of life was never meant to be run entirely alone.
Yes, strength and independence matter. Personal responsibility matters. But companionship matters too. Encouragement matters. Community matters. Sometimes the difference between giving up and pressing forward is simply having someone next to us saying, “You’re doing better than you think. Keep going. I’m here with you.”
The mountains are still steep.
The miles are still long.
But the journey becomes better when we do not have to face it alone.
Plus friends make life more fun too!
Get inspired, watch Nick Bare run Leadville 100 with his team of pacers!
