GreyBeard
Anyone with advice for forming a crew to support 100 miler?
# of ppl
supplies
Pacers (1, 2, ??)
roles for team?
Anything would be a help.
2020
Depends on what you are doing, i.e. Badwater is vastly different from Umstead. The ideal number is usually zero, because of the added complexity. More than two seems like would be more trouble than it is worth. You want to focus on your run, rather than worrying about the people that are ostensibly there to help. That said, the best use of crew is to tend to your special needs, the most obvious being keeping you supplied with a sports drink other than what the race would provide.
IF you have a pacer, the best type is extroverted, asinine, outrageous, non-stop-talker. You'll be relying on this person to keep you awake and take your mind off just how poorly you are feeling in the latter stages.
I love having a crew (and pacers). I normally have a crew of one (my brother). At the Bear 100, my brother couldn't come, so my two pacers crewed and paced (ie, when one paced, the other crewed and vice versa). Neither like to sleep much, so it worked out really well.
My crew and/or pacers are only really close friends... people that know me very very well. I never use strangers or people I don't know *very* well as crew/pacers...but others really like to have new people pace them. Gives them new conversations, they meet new friends, etc. YMMV.
Regarding supplies. That's pretty personal, based on what works for you. I'm sort of OCD in that department, so my crew has a couple of plastic sets of drawers in the back of my van, all labeled with the gear.
My van set up for crewing (2009 Bear 100):
Regarding number of pacers: Well, depends on the race, the distance you can have pacers, and how far each wants to pace you. Oftentimes my friend(s) will pace the entire distance so they can use it as a good long training run.
- Chris
Depends on what you are doing, i.e. Badwater is vastly different from Umstead. The ideal number is usually zero, because of the added complexity. More than two seems like would be more trouble than it is worth. You want to focus on your run, rather than worrying about the people that are ostensibly there to help. That said, the best use of crew is to tend to your special needs, the most obvious being keeping you supplied with a sports drink other than what the race would provide. IF you have a pacer, the best type is extroverted, asinine, outrageous, non-stop-talker. You'll be relying on this person to keep you awake and take your mind off just how poorly you are feeling in the latter stages.
Thanks. This is for Leadville , my first 100.
I love having a crew (and pacers). I normally have a crew of one (my brother). At the Bear 100, my brother couldn't come, so my two pacers crewed and paced (ie, when one paced, the other crewed and vice versa). Neither like to sleep much, so it worked out really well. My crew and/or pacers are only really close friends... people that know me very very well. I never use strangers or people I don't know *very* well as crew/pacers...but others really like to have new people pace them. Gives them new conversations, they meet new friends, etc. YMMV. Regarding supplies. That's pretty personal, based on what works for you. I'm sort of OCD in that department, so my crew has a couple of plastic sets of drawers in the back of my van, all labeled with the gear. My van set up for crewing (2009 Bear 100): Regarding number of pacers: Well, depends on the race, the distance you can have pacers, and how far each wants to pace you. Oftentimes my friend(s) will pace the entire distance so they can use it as a good long training run. - Chris
Can I just hitch a ride with you
Jerry A runners blog-updated daily
Just as an aside when it comes to weighing at checkpoints what are the rules about weight loss, is it by BMI or %cent body weight loss?
I've only ever heard of it being done as percent of body weight lost.
They *may* weigh you at Leadville. They say they do, but they never weighed me... but I've had friends get weighed there. Their scales tend to be all off a lot too...which was really frustrating for some people last year. I had a friend lose 10lbs by Winfield and gain 12 back by the finish. Uh-huh.....rriiiiigggghhhtt.
I should have said earlier that the crew members are ideally other ultrarunners -- who can anticipate your needs given your condition. For Leadville, two people seems ideal.
My van set up for crewing (2009 Bear 100): Regarding number of pacers: Well, depends on the race, the distance you can have pacers, and how far each wants to pace you. Oftentimes my friend(s) will pace the entire distance so they can use it as a good long training run. - Chris
Wow that's impressive. What does your packing list look like Chris?
~Sara It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great. ~ Jimmy Dugan
I'm noboby, who are you?
Maybe yes. maybe no. You're getting into personality and not everyone toward the end of race wants someone yabbering away even if the intent is to create a distraction from discomfort. This is something you discuss before the race and have to sense during the run.
There are other pacer questions. Do you want them in front, next to you(assuming the trail is wide enough) or behind you. There are pros and cons for both. If they do lead make damn sure they don't pull you too fast. If muling is allowed, as do allow it, what will you carry be it food or toilet paper.
I don't really work off a list (probably should) but in a nutshell:
Drawer Set #1:
(1)Electrolytes (various brands plus my own), Nuun, etc
(2)Gels
(3)Bars
(4)Clif Blocks
(5)Drink powders, Red Bull, etc
Drawer Set#2:
(1)Personal / Health type stuff: tapes, bandages, foot care, body glide, sunscreens, lip stuff, tums, ibuprofen, ginger, etc etc.
(2)Electronics, iPods, headphones, sunglasses, walkie-talkies (for crew), binoculars, SD cards, chargers, batteries, etc, etc
(3)Everything else. Handbottles, etc.
Other bins usually have "real" food, camp stove, lantern, etc, etc. Clothing is all hung up on one side of the van, so it's easy to reach. With the back seats flat and middle seats out, the crew/pacers can sleep in the van. It's good to have something easy for the runner to spot (especially at night), so we use a big 10' piece of conduit with a sign on it and a xenon strobe light on top of that. That way crew can relax and let the runner/pacer come to them... easier on the crew.
There's a clipboard with each A/S, spots to record splits, weight, times, calories consumed, fluids drank, notes, etc. Makes it easier to go back later and figure out what may have gone wrong. My brother will usually just do a pack exchange... I'll hand him the one I'm wearing and he'll move the iPod and camera to the new one, and hand it back all stocked up and ready to go (don't have to wait to get bladders filled at the A/S). The other advantage of the pack exchange method is he'll then inventory the pack and record how much I drank and ate (then chastise me at the next A/S for not eating enough).
Hope that helps a bit.
You'll ruin your knees!
I mostly go it without crew/pacer. Like someone mentioned earlier, it is pretty simple from a logistics perspective (assuming you can do decent drop bag planning). If someone shows up, it's a bonus.
That said, I do believe I would have had the opportunity to finish better/faster in at least two of my mountain races if I had a/the right pacer. Still... I don't usually bother.
""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)
I mostly go it without crew/pacer. Like someone mentioned earlier, it is pretty simple from a logistics perspective (assuming you can do decent drop bag planning). If someone shows up, it's a bonus. That said, I do believe I would have had the opportunity to finish better/faster in at least two of my mountain races if I had a/the right pacer. Still... I don't usually bother.
Tried to watch the video in your signature but it has been removed. Now I am curious...
Hope that helps a bit. - Chris
Indeed. Thanks. I am so impressed by your organization!
Well...I'm not a very fast runner, so I have to make up for it in the aid stations!