|
Nov 2012
4:18pm, 5 Nov 2012
68,148 posts
|
santababy
nothing magical about that place it doesnt even exist
|
|
Nov 2012
4:25pm, 5 Nov 2012
7,051 posts
|
Boab
I'm supporting on this next year, would be good to get some advice over the coming months. 
|
|
Nov 2012
4:48pm, 5 Nov 2012
5,151 posts
|
flip
I think Lintie once wrote a great blog about support but can't seem to find it now.
I think support is so dammed hard. When you're running you only have yourself to worry about (apart form lintie who asked me at mile 80 of one of her whw's if i was feeling ok lol ). You fret constantly about your runner in these long ones- it's bloody exhusting.
|
|
Nov 2012
5:02pm, 5 Nov 2012
3,226 posts
|
Lintie
I'll have a look for it Flipster.
I love Kinlochleven bit, it's hullucination heaven! I've seen close encounters flashing lights, rose bushes who i thought were people, ive seen a brown bear, a white panther and got a cracking face slap to wake me up while we were sweeping last year.
I've marshalled, raced twice, swept the whole thinkg once with Dod and supported this year and racing it was defo easier than the other 3. Johnny fling was a piece of cake to support but it's still tough worrying about your runner.
|
|
Nov 2012
5:05pm, 5 Nov 2012
3,227 posts
|
Lintie
1 Midgies will be bad especially from Balmaha area, you defo need to cover body with gloves, midgie net and if wearing leggings, cover wee bit at bottom of leg with bug spray. Bites wont show till at least 24 hours after. Learn the art of eating UNDER the midgie net
2 First meet with your runner at Beech Tree. Every car shoots of from start to here. 7 miles along the route so plenty time to get there but savour the view of the runners headtorches bobbing along the route with hopefully a huge moon behind them. Got to quietly clap the runners through as it’s hotel and you wont recognise them as there headtorches shine in your face.
3 Oh yeah you need a headtorch too.
4 Drink plenty and remember too eat too.
5 You should get a decent break when runner leaves Balmaha as runner will have drop bag for Inversnaid and a huge no no is meeting your runner at Beinglass and if you do, you’re runner will be disqualified so you wont see them till Auchtertyre which means they are on their tod for a long time with the tough section in there so you’ll get plenty time for a rest. Find a quiet place though and not on the main road.
6 You’ll probably see the same support crews at each stop, have a laugh and banter along the way.
7 Get to each checkpoint and adjust plan if runner doing better or worse than they said so you can plan how to spend your time. Twister anyone?
8 Official support crew info below as well –
If you are supporting a runner in the westhighlandwayrace.org
Do
try to look alert & awake at all times, especially after 40 hours without sleep
tell them they look great at every checkpoint even if you’ve seen more colour in a week old corpse
applaud every runner at each checkpoint because they deserve it
practise hill starts before tackling the road up to Rowardennan
reassure them their race plan was fantastic - it was just not their year
accept that not having a jam roll ready at Derrydarroch Farm was entirely your fault
wait until Sunday to tell them they looked dreadful the whole race, their race plan was rubbish and they didn’t ask for a bl##dy jam roll to be ready at Derrydarroch Farm
Don’t
discuss being support after a few beers, before you’ve sobered up the form’s been filled in!
scoff at midge nets until you get out the car at Balmaha on your first ever race
tell your runner they’ve got the easy bit
mix red wine and anti-histamines
order a meal in an eatery thinking you’ve got plenty of time before your runner comes in
forget to thank the back up team who serviced your runner while you waited for your order
double park in lay-bys and then disappear, even if it’s only for five minutes
|
|
Nov 2012
5:28pm, 5 Nov 2012
18,407 posts
|
HappyG(rrr)
Lol Lintie - I was just about to paste in the "official rules" too, for Boab! Boab, who you supporting next year? Think it will be my first year not in a support crew (Mrs (rrr) has asked if we could instead actually celebrate our birthdays together, which are always on WHW race weekend, for a change!)
Supporting at WHW race: Best non-running, running experience in the world. Fact! :-)G
|
|
Nov 2012
5:30pm, 5 Nov 2012
18,408 posts
|
HappyG(rrr)
Oh, and 3 of the 4 folk I've supported are on this page. Hi guys! *waves*  and they all got their goblets too! Tough cookies!  :-)G
|
|
Nov 2012
5:57pm, 5 Nov 2012
68,149 posts
|
santababy
couldnt agree with Lintie more about crewing being harder. I  my crew muchly and everything they did-do for me.
|
|
Nov 2012
6:29pm, 5 Nov 2012
10,083 posts
|
Ultracat
Lintie was very easy to support
|
|
Nov 2012
7:04pm, 5 Nov 2012
3,228 posts
|
Lintie
All my support crew folk were brilliant with their own different personalities and stuff that made me smile :). UC you were special though, supported me on ultras from my very first one. Ultras can be a very selfish race and yes you can be tired and sore and totally out of it at times but i don't think i could get to the stage where i would take that out on my support crew. The thought that they're out there for the same length of time as me doing a tougher job is always at the back of my mind. I think i aimed to try and make it as enjoyable as possible for them.
|
