How to Crew an Ultramarathoner

Know the Rules Before Race Day

Every ultramarathon has different rules. Before the race, check:

• Where crew assistance is allowed
• Where you can park
• Whether pacing is permitted
• Mandatory gear rules
• Cutoff times
• Drop bag locations
• Rules about outside assistance

The fastest way to ruin a great race is to accidentally break a rule while trying to help.

Make a Simple Plan

You do not need a military operation. For each crew-accessible aid station, note the approximate arrival time, distance to the next aid station, cutoff, food and drink options, clothing or gear changes, batteries or headlamp needs, and any special requests. Keep the plan easy to find. When everyone is tired, simple beats clever.

Get Ready Before the Runner Arrives

Do not wait until you see your runner before searching for their jacket. Fill bottles, prepare food, lay out socks, gloves, batteries and extra layers, and know where the foot-care kit is. Your runner may only stop for a few minutes.

Think less kitchen cupboard, more Formula 1 pit stop.

Ask Easy Questions

After many hours of running, decision-making becomes difficult. Avoid “What do you want to eat?” Try “Soup or potatoes?” Avoid “What clothes do you need?” Try “Do you want your jacket on?” Simple choices are easier for a tired brain.

Help With the Basics

Gently check the basics: Have they eaten? Have they been drinking? Do they need electrolytes? Are they too hot or cold? Do their feet need attention? Does the headlamp need fresh batteries?

Small problems become big problems quickly. A tiny blister at 50 km can become a very angry little monster at 90 km.

Keep the Mood Calm

Your runner may arrive looking terrible. This is normal. They may be tired, emotional, annoyed, confused or completely uninterested in conversation. Do not panic.

Instead of “You look awful!”, try: “Good to see you. Sit down for a minute. Here's your drink.” Your energy affects the runner more than you might realize.

Be Careful With Motivation

Constantly shouting “You've got this!” may not help when they are deep in the struggle. Practical encouragement often works better: “Get to the next aid station.” “It's 8 km from here.” “Eat this, drink this, then we'll get you moving.” Focus on the next manageable step.

Do Not Let the Aid Station Become Too Comfortable

Aid stations have chairs, food, friendly people and warm drinks. They can also become dangerous little vacation resorts. Once the important jobs are done, help your runner leave. Change socks, fill bottles, eat, add a jacket, then go. Five extra minutes at ten aid stations becomes almost an hour.

Keep Notes

Keep basic notes: arrival time, food eaten, bottles taken, caffeine, foot problems, clothing changes and anything unusual. If the runner has barely eaten for three hours or complained about the same foot at three aid stations, that is useful information.

Know When It Is More Than a Bad Patch

Ultrarunners often go through rough periods and recover. But severe confusion, chest pain, serious breathing problems, extreme difficulty staying awake, major balance problems, or signs of dangerous heat or cold illness need race medical staff. Being tough is part of ultrarunning. Ignoring a medical emergency is not.

Take Care of the Crew Too

Crewing is surprisingly tiring. Bring food, water, warm clothes, chairs and something to sleep in if possible. Share driving responsibilities. A completely exhausted crew is not much help to an exhausted runner.

Remember What Your Job Really Is

You are not there to run the race for them. You are there to remove unnecessary problems. Fill the bottle. Find the gloves. Make the sandwich. Fix the blister. Replace the batteries. Say the right thing. Then send them back onto the trail.

Great crewing is usually not dramatic. It is a hundred small helpful actions performed at exactly the right moment.

And somewhere around 3 a.m., standing beside a folding table full of bananas, tape and headlamp batteries, you may realize something important: you are doing an ultramarathon too. You just happen to be doing yours from the parking lot.