Where are you from?

New Haven, CT

Current P.R.

2:58:16

Typical pace

8-10 mi/mile for easy runs, but 6-7min/mi in hard training runs

Number of marathons

12

Occupation

Chemist and run coach

Favorite marathon

Boston Marathon

Hobbies

Reading, Photography, Eating

Favorite Running Food

E-Gel and UCAN

What are you reading now?

Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert

“Das große Laufbuch” (running bible)

Who do you train with?

Friends – or becoming friends after running so much together!

Personal goals

Run a marathon in 50 states, and 7 continents

Sub-3 in all 6 marathon majors.

A quotation you like…

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche.

Why do you run?

I just LOVE the running community and keep training so that I can share my experience and lessons learned with others!

Describe your best marathon memory.

Enjoyed the first Boston Marathon, so many friends was rooting for me, supporting me, tracing me. I was so motivated and pushed the last 5 miles after the heartbreak hills with a negative split and a sub-3 hour PR.

Why do you pace?

Three folds: to help people staying at a steady pace to reach their goals; to serve as a moving reference time so people know where they are at, e.g., to decide a final push to BQ.

Also, it’s so much fun to hang out with fellow runners!

Tell us your best pacing experience.

When a runner didn’t believe he could do a 8:15 pace half marathon but just decided to stay with me at 8:00 pace and see how long he can hold. He ended up keeping up with me all the way to the end and PR-ed! I’m so happy for him!

In general, any time when someone passes me at the end of the race I’m happy they finish strong!

Feeling so rewarding when I help them reach their goals!

Why should someone run in your pace group?

I’m trying to run the best strategy to finish at the target pace. Slow start (~5 sec slower than target for the first 2-3 miles).

I would yell aid stations when I saw then coming so you can prepare.

Also I pace precisely, mostly within 30sec of the goal time and never over.

Any tips for runners about to join your group?

In long endurance race like marathon/half marathon, it’s so important to start a little conservatively for the first 2-3 miles and then find your “flow”, which may be just above or below the target pace that I’m running. You can keep me in sight as a reference while getting your own running flow. Or run behind me if it’s a windy day!

Anything else you’d like to share?

Respect the distance and have fun!

What philanthropic activities do you have?

Volunteering, photography, Project Purple, Race4Chase