WEST HIGHLAND WAY RACE CREWING

FOR THOSE WHO SIT AND WAIT CREWING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR THOSE WHO SIT AND WAIT

Be prepared Know the route Be patient Talk things out with your runner. Know what he or she will need and when it will be needed. Pack a separate bag for each checkpoint. That way you won’t have to fumble through loads of paraphernalia to what you are looking for. Err on the side of over packing. If you are not sure put it in. Nothing is more irritating than not getting that pair of dry socks you have been looking forward to for 2 hours, and The crew can’t find. Know the route Go over the route and access roads carefully, to make sure you know how to get to the meeting place /check point and in plenty of time. Be patient Know what time your runner expects to reach each meeting / check point. Be there a good bit early just in case. Also know runners are rarely early and often late.

Be impatient. Be positive. Take the blame. There is a tendency for runners to waste incredible amounts of time at the meeting places / check point. They are glad to see you. It’s good to talk to someone about how the race is going , and besides, it feels good to sit down. There is no reason to stay more than 5 mins. Get them some food and fluids, change of top whatever, and get them going again. An extra 5 mins at each meeting place / check point can cost the runner two hours or more. Be positive. Probably when you meet your runner after Lomondside, their resolve may start to wane. Be cheerful, tell them how great they look. In doing so you may be lying, that’s all right because they know they look terrible and you are lying. Its all part of the game. The object here is to get them thinking positive thoughts again. Take the blame. As the aches accumulate and the blood sugar levels gets low your runner will get cranky. Count on it. Because you are the first person they have seen in a long while, they are liable to take it out on you. It may be your fault it’s too hot, they have blisters, or their left calf is cramping. This is also part of the game. They don’t mean it and will be sorry later that they said it.

Make your runner eat and drink I emphasize this, especially as runners tend to lose their appetite, so you must make sure they eat, and also make sure they are drinking correct amount. Keep a sense of humour Runners in long races develop a wonderfully warped and macabre sense of humour as the race progresses. Look after yourselves Remember to eat and drink, and look after yourself, as it will be a long day for the crew, and with no crew, no race for the runner, and come prepared for a full day plus. You may have time to buy food and drinks etc. at Tyndrum. Have some fun. What these events are really about is having enjoyment. Enjoy the scenery and the very special ambiance that surrounds the event. Get to know other crews, you will do doubt be seeing them at various check points.