Crewing the Crew

 
 

This is the third post in a series developed in collaboration with Faultline Ultra to support those crewing 100-km and 100-mile runners.

So far, everything we have talked about has been the needs of the runner,  and on race day, you will likely take that same mentality, focusing entirely on the needs of the runner — their gear, their nutrition, and how to stay organised around them. However, the crew will also be out there for 24, 30, or 40 hours in all conditions, and will have very different needs in order to stay at their best.

You can’t support a tired, hungry, wet runner if you are tired, hungry and wet crew.

The better you plan to make sure the crew is supported, the smoother everything will be on race day. If you have multiple people in the crew, think about making one person’s job just to focus on the crew itself. They can take the mental load of ‘crewing the crew’.

Crewing isn’t just about reacting to the runner. You are the system that keeps everything moving. The vibes you bring will impact the runner (more on this next week), so if you are fatigued, stressed, and grumpy, it will directly affect the runner.

When you are crewing, there are multiple hours of downtime, followed by 5 minutes of hectic stress while your runner comes through. Then your runner is gone as quickly as they arrived, and it might be hours until you see them again, so think about what you are going to do in between aid stations to make sure you are in peak shape for that all-important 5-minute stopover.

“The state of the crew becomes the state of the support.”

Eat and Drink Properly

Your runner might be able to survive most the day on Tailwind and lollies, but if you aren’t running 100km/100 miles you certainly won’t want to do that.

Eat regularly, and try to have normal ‘meals’ not just eating when you remember. Tie your own food breaks into the planning so you know you will have time for a proper meal and it won’t be at the same time you are expecting your runner to arrive. Keep your food separate from your runners to avoid confusion.

Think about having a proper breakfast, lunch, and dinner and whether you intend to get these from a café in down times, or have them pre-packed. Standing around waiting is best done with a hot drink in hand, so think about coffee and tea breaks and insulated thermos / mugs to help get you through. At first it might seem easier to think about yourself only on the day, but living off café muffins for a full day is not going to set you up for success.

Stay hydrated! This sounds obvious — but it’s one of the most common things crews neglect. There is a lot of research that links hunger and hydration to mood, and poor decision-making, these are the two most important aspects for a crew so you can’t compromise them. Have your own drink bottle and keep it topped up, consider taking on some electrolytes, think about both hot and cold drinks throughout the day.

Plan for Rest

When the race goes into the night, fatigue becomes a real factor. No matter how fast your runner is, its going to be a long day and a lot of driving. Think about when you might take time to properly rest, take a nap, lie down and get off your feet. I find where possible arriving at an aid station really early and then taking a nap in the car there can make a big difference. You can get some rest but you don’t have to stress about missing your runner. When ever you do this make sure you set your alarm so you can wake up and check your runners location so you know you wont miss them.

Rotate drivers as much as possible. You’ll be chasing your runner right around Wellington from the Kapiti Coast, to Upper Hutt, back to Porirua and all the way into town. You’ll probably drive more distance than your runner will run. Share the load if you can, and keep yourself safe.

Pack a crew comfort kit

Just like the crew has different nutrition needs from the runner, you also have different equipment needs. Even if it’s a nice day, standing around waiting is a cold business. You need to think about warmth, comfort, layers, weather protection, and technology. You will naturally end up doing a lot of walking and a lot of carrying, so a good pair of shoes is a must.

For your crew kit, include:

  • Warm layers (you’ll be standing around a lot)

  • Waterproof layers (if the weather is wet, you’ll go through more than one jacket in the day)

  • A chair

  • Blanket and towel

  • Spare socks

  • Coffee / hot drinks

  • Headlamp (you’ll need one too)

  • Power bank and charging cables (you’ll go through a lot of phone battery refreshing your tracker and course maps)

  • An umbrella (it’s very rare that an umbrella makes sense in Wellington, but if it’s wet and not too windy, there might be times that this is a good idea).

Remember, these are on top of the things you have prepared for your runner, which means you will need double the amount of some items.

The principle here is: comfort = better mood = better decisions

Stay organised, stay happy, stay calm

Everything we have talked about in the last few weeks supports calmness and clarity for both the runner and the crew.

  • Good gear systems reduce stress

  • Good logistics reduce pressure

And when those are in place, it’s much easier to:

  • stay patient

  • stay clear

  • support effectively

Looking after the crew isn’t separate from looking after the runner — it’s part of it.

Because when you’re warm, dry, fuelled, and prepared, you can show up exactly how your runner needs, always keeping positive and adaptable. And in an ultra, that will make all the difference.