.
"What do you even do when they are running?!"
... "I crew!"
Here I'd like to discuss some of the essentials to be an effective crew member for your runner. This comes from half a decade of crewing for Ed, but everyone is different and some things might work better than others.
Before the race
- Accommodation: We always try and find a place as close as possible to the start, with a maximum 20 minute drive. This allows for maximum sleep for those early races!
- Race Timings: Make a race plan looking at major checkpoints. Discuss their best possible and worst possible. Plan for the best possible, be ready for the worst possible. Check times between checkpoints, and make a realistic 'meeting' plan. As a ball park figure - marathons, I tend to see Ed once. 50 milers, I usually see him two/three times. Hundred milers - four to six times (dependent on the race).
- Driving and parking plan: Coming hand in hand with race timings, make sure driving times are amenable to the chosen 'meeting' points. I save these to my google maps in starred places, and then download the maps offline. Vital when you are in places with no signal! I also print/write out the plan with mileage and expected times. Finally, I check parking on google maps for each point, to make sure it'll be okay. If you're in the UK countryside, make sure to have lots of change!
- Set up phone tracking: I can track him on 'find my friends' on our iPhones. Because we like contributing to Apple's trillion dollars, I'm not sure how this works on Android, but I am sure there is a way! (EDIT: My friend Becca has informed there in an app called Life360 for Android) Make sure they switch mobile data off for all over apps, having only the bare necessities. (Sorry not sorry for getting that song stuck in your head now)
- Their food plan: Discuss what they want at each 'meeting' point. I advise having pre-packed bags labelled for each check points. Helps you fumbling around trying to find everything!
- Your food plan: You need to eat too! Make sure you have some snacks, lots of water, ibuprofen (Your eating/drinking will be off. I get headaches easy - these are a life saver!), lunch if you need it.
- Other essentials:
- A car - I have done races in the past with no car. I don't advise it, locals get baffled at the fact you are doing it by bus (or that there's even a bus that's going there!) And plus with a car you can bring your thickest winter coat with you and use it when you're in the middle of Oxfordshire waiting at 11pm. We rented cars until we finally got our own!
- A chair - Always bring a chair. Even if it's just a fold out stool, it will make a world of difference for you waiting.
- A map of the courses with distances - for yourself and for your runner. Also for fellow spectators. Everyone loves a map with details.
- Duct tape - their trekking pole might break before half way in UTMB®. Shoes might get holes. Bags may tear. Take a leaf out of The Martian. If in doubt, duct tape it.
- A dry bag - keep all your essentials dry!
- Torch/headlight - you might be waiting for them in the dark! A torch/headlight is super handy.
- A book - I have the kindle app on my phone, so I can always just start reading where I am, which is quite nice! If you are taking public transport/using a race bus system (i.e. UTMB®), I suggest downloading an audio book. Harry Potter was my friend in the Alps in 2017! Minimal commitment, still passes your time.
- A chargey uppy device/battery pack - if I don't have a car with a charging port, I always bring two of these!
- Plug charger - take every opportunity you can get!
- Glasses/sunglasses - I didn't bring my glasses the first time I followed Ed in the alps. My contact lenses were so dry when I finally took them out at 3am. Always bring all the glasses you need.
- Moisturiser/lip balm/sun cream/disinfectant gel - hands/lips get dry, it gets hot, portable loos may run out of soap.
- Loo roll - you never know.
- Layers - night gets cold. I was freezing at Pointed Rocks at 2am during Westerns, despite it being close to 40C during the day.
During the race
- Positive attitude: this is probably one of the most important things. Your runner might come in from a particular down stretch, and they may talk negative. Do not agree with them. Make sure you only say positive things. Even if it's about a cute dog you got to cuddle. They are running for long stretches, sometimes on their own, don't let any unnecessary negative thought come from you, even if its a passing laughing 'oh ha I've seen you look better!'. This can bring doubts in their mind, even if it was not your intention at all.
- Be ready for snappiness/grumpiness: An ultra-race plays tricks on your mind. They may snap at you. I've heard runners swearing at their entourage, most likely because their race is not going to plan. I've also heard crew snapping back. It is not personal. Don't snap back. You'll both feel bad and then mull about it for hours until you next see them.
- Be ready with distractions: I took a picture of myself with googly eyes on Snapchat one time, I also climbed into my pyjama trousers up to my shoulders another time (don't ask). Both make for hilarious pictures. I show these to Ed to 'snap him out of it'. He always forgets I'm going to show it to him, and it always grounds him and brings a smile to his face.
- Have food ready: got to give them new bottles? Refresh their food? Be ready - check their location on your phone, so you have an idea!
- Make friends: I always make friends during races, Ed expects a full 'friends list' report at the end of the race. I've had tea with the Mayor of Bath, had a chat with elite runner's partners, made instagram friends. I also make lots of friends with dogs. I like dogs. Please buy me a dog.
- Enjoy yourself! The scenery is probably beautiful. Take it all in. Contact me if you want a mini geology lesson. Have coffee. Make sure to keep hydrated.
After the race
- Your runner will need you: I have helped Ed change into his pyjamas countless number of times. Sometimes they need more help than others. It depends on the distance, on the conditions. They might want strawberries, to take a shower, or to just collapse in bed.
- You will be tired: Don't forget they are more tired than you! But get some sleep.
- Start a post-race tradition: We always get a chinese take-out the day we get back home, and I make Ed pay for it because crewing is also a hard job at the end of the day 😝