I have never paced someone for 38 miles—let alone at the biggest ultra in the US, the Western States Endurance Run. David Tien got into the 2025 race from being 27th on the waitlist.
Dave’s story is intertwined with mine. Nearly 20 years ago, I started working for a web hosting company in their help desk department. This is where I first met Dave, who was part of the Network Operations division. While I was a road runner back then and enjoyed biking (but not swimming), over time, we would go on lunchtime bike rides at work, and I got to know Dave better through the years. I never would have he would be the reason I would be heading to Western States in 2025.
I ended up getting promoted to junior system administrator, and that’s when I started working directly with Dave. He was heavily involved in the Philadelphia triathlon scene, and after constantly badgering him with questions about what it takes to complete a triathlon, I entered my first sprint distance event. That’s where I began progressing my endurance into longer and multisport events. If it weren’t for his assistance back in the 2008–2010 time frame, I might not have been led down the path I’m on now.
While I didn’t stick with triathlon because trail running fit my lifestyle better, Dave inspired me to go longer and push harder into areas where I was uncomfortable—learning to swim, racing on a tri bike I bought from him, and finally running the last leg of a triathlon. It was the stepping stone I needed on my journey.
When I got the news he was on the waitlist for WSER, my next question was, “Can I pace and coach you?” I didn’t even have to think about it. I am so glad I got this opportunity; it was truly magical to go on this kind of journey with someone you’ve known for so long. I had so much fear, uncertainty, and doubt about whether I would be a “good” pacer. Sitting at the Foresthill aid station, I felt equal amounts of excitement and anxiety. All of it was washed away as soon as we started running together.
In the end, it’s just running—and ultras, which I know well. There was nothing this 38-mile run could throw at me that I couldn’t handle. That’s not the real task; the task is helping someone else. I think I did that pretty well for my first big pacing duty. I still can’t believe I got to do it at the Super Bowl of 100s.
This video is the culmination of years of experience, friendship, and a commitment to helping someone who taught me so much about networking, routing, switching, Linux, and many things that have nothing to do with running. It was paying back someone in the only way I knew how. Enjoy the video. Enjoy the process of training and self improvement. Enjoy all of the people you met along your journey. You never know who you are inspiring with your actions, and how your paths may cross in the future.
Enjoy the documentary now live on YouTube. It took be awhile to edit because we went on two different family vacations. I think it was worth the wait. Let me know what you think of the video in the comments on YouTube.
Patrick is an ultrarunner and coach from Philadelphia who loves documenting his running career. His mission is to provide useful tips and tricks to assist others along their ultra journey.  You can find his coaching services at https://ultraruncoach.com.
At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady. She started screaming out of fear. With a panic-stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach. Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky. The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but …it landed on another lady in the group.
Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama. The waiter rushed forward to their rescue. In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter. The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt. When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant. Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behavior?
If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed? He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos. It is not the cockroach, but the inability of those people to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach, that disturbed the ladies. I realized that it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me, but it’s my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.
It’s not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me. More than the problem, it’s my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in my life. Lessons learnt from the story:
I understood I should not react in life.I should always respond. The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded. Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always well thought of. A beautiful way to understand LIFE.
The HAPPY person is not because Everything is RIGHT in his Life. He is HAPPY because his attitude towards everything in their life is right!
For some, the idea of running an ultra event is like this story. As soon as you tell them how far you like to run, they have a knee-jerk reaction. “OMG, I don’t like to even drive that far, do you sleep?” For those in the sport, the response is normally followed by several questions. Was it technical, how much vert, was it scenic, hard or easy, etc. They respond versus react because they have been there; they are open to the idea versus that initial shock. Why would you choose to do such a horrible activity? We control how we feel about almost everything we do, and it’s in using tools like curiosity and excitement that we remove that reaction and judgment. It creates a yearning for a deeper understanding.
Ultra Cockroach
The nature of many actions we perform have no purpose, but they bring joy to those involved. With the Eagles winning the Super Bowl, my kids are excited about football, and I have been having catches with my son. He tells me tales of Super Bowl games at recess and how much fun they have been having. Did you ever stop to think about the purpose of a catch? Why would one perform any action, like dancing, a football catch, or creative writing? The joy is in small moments as they happen, but when analyzed from an outside perspective, the activity makes no sense. Like those who can’t wrap their heads around running all day for fun, but people can wrap their heads around sitting all day binge-watching TV. Much like that person asking about the ultra. Why would I do that? I am completely comfortable in my chair on the sidelines.
There doesn’t need to be a purpose in everything we do, because why would we do anything? Why would someone put so much time and effort into a run? Why would someone dedicate so much time and effort to move their body? The answer lies in the response of those in the action. It’s those who are in the action that see the action for what it is: a connection to nature, friends, body, mind, and soul that eliminates suffering. Those who put themselves in the act are able to remain calm and cool, unaffected by the trauma of daily life. They respond versus react; they slow down their thought process, and they take in more of what’s happening. They are detached just 2-3 seconds from their own initial responses; that’s what running, and more importantly ultra running, does for myself. It creates a buffer where you think more before you act; you process things slower. You become less reactive and more responsive.
The Ultra Cockroach
Running creates a connection to the breath, to your lungs, to your arms. The mind becomes sharper, not reacting but responding to the demands of stress. When you stop running, that stress you were dealing with is less, and normal life moves at an almost snail’s pace. Mental or physical stress are the same to the body, and it can’t tell the difference. When you adapt to workout stress, you also adapt to mental stress. It creates a template on how to deal with high stress levels. Your perspective of time passes at almost 2x its speed while running, but once you stop, it’s as if your mind is still racing, but your body is not. This is what creates the buffer; it’s the decreased demand on the body, but heightened awareness of the mind.
“Runner’s High”—it’s the effect that exercise has on you the entire day after you work out. Most people exercise first thing in the morning because that high lasts the entire rest of the day. Your metabolism gets kick-started as well, your body primed to take on more load once given that first dose. This is a known phenomenon of running and exercise. It’s part of the supercompensation process that makes you stronger after a stress response, provided that you take some days off to rest and reap the benefits.
Ultra cockroach
We don’t stop moving because we get old… We get old because we stop moving…
Use exercise to jump-start your mind, body, and metabolism, creating a buffer against the stress the world is guaranteed to throw at you. This is a hard you choose versus a hard you don’t. When challenges arise that you don’t choose, your body is stronger, your mind sharper, and your responses are wiser because you have prepared yourself. You are inoculated against stress because you have encountered it before, and the cockroach of stress is squashed under the bouncing sole of your foot before it has a chance to affect you.
Patrick is an ultrarunner and coach from Philadelphia who loves documenting his running career. His mission is to provide useful tips and tricks to assist others along their ultra journey.  You can find his coaching services at https://ultraruncoach.com.
