So what does it take to be a support crew? few days and I reckon I’ve come up with a few good tips.
And for a competitor, how do you get the most out of support crews and finish
an event with the friendship still in tact? I’ve been thinking about that for a
These are my tips on how to be a good support crew?
Ask the team what they think they’ll need
It doesn’t matter how many events you’ve from you.
done in the past or how many times you’ve been a support crew. If you are
thinking the team will want something and they are thinking something else, it
is a recipe for disaster. Regardless of what the instructions say or what you
think you will be providing, you’ve got to ask the team what they are expecting
Being a support crew also means having to listen to endless re-runs of the stage and how it was won and lost.
Read the instructions
Recently in the Marysville to Melbourne race, I was supporting the second came in. but that could have been catastrophic.
rider. Having assumed the transition will be in the same place as last year,
having not fully read the instructions I was in a mild state of panic when I
arrived at what I thought was the Transition area to find it full of day
trippers with no riders or event staff in site. I was lucky, I had plenty of
time to un dig myself out of the hole I had dug for myself before the rider
Reading the instructions can make all the difference.
Be there
I can’t tell you how many times I have guy.
seen people arrive at checkpoints expecting their team mates or support crew to
be there and they aren’t. There are no doubt a myriad of reasons as to what
went wrong but for the person who has just run their guts out to make it to the
checkpoint, there is little consolation. Plan your time and space, including
your rest and food to make sure you are where you say you are going to be. In
my previous example, I was nearly that person. Nobody every wants to be that
Sometimes, the support crew just being there is enough.
Know your place
We all get tired and cranky, we all whinge pass it over for chips and a coke. Get over it.
and snap. At 3 oclock in the morning in the pouring rain, even the most patient
adventurer has been known to let fly with a short, ill prepared comment or
criticism of their support crews. Don’t take it personally, if you weren’t good
friends you wouldn’t be there in the first place. There will be plenty of time
to laugh and joke about the hissy fit tantrum thrown by the paddler because the
seat was wet, or the rider because the food is too hot. Just relax and enjoy
the journey. Consider also that the person you are supporting may not know what
they need or be able to communicate it. Yes, you may have spent all day over a
stove preparing the best recovery meal, but your runner may not stomach it and
There are ups and downs during longer distance endurance events.
most out of a support crew?
Here are my tips on how to get the
Tell them what you want them to do
Communication is critical. You have chosen ahead of time
your crew because you trust that they will be there for you and give you what
you think you need, when you think you need it. So tell them. Don’t beat around
the bush or leave things up to interpretation, don’t expect your support crew
to read your mind, they are simply not that good at it. Plan out the support
you need and when the plan changes let them know. They are there to support but
can’t do that in a vacuum.
If the support crew knows what is expected, they'll probably do it.
Talk them through the event well
Well before the start line, talk through from
the format of the event, why you are doing it and what kind of support you are
expecting. It could be as simple as transporting a bag of clothes to the end of
the run so you can make a quick getaway to the pub, or as complex as booking
flights, car hire, food and water drops and driving 7 days through the Simpson
Desert. Whatever it is, make your expectations clear. You chose your support
crew for a reason, talk them through the event and your motivation for doing it
and they will everything they can to make it happen. If not, you’ve chosen the
wrong support crew.
Knowing what is expected of the crew makes it a lot easier to provide the little bit extras. You just have to get the basics right. Do that as a minimum.
Understand where they are coming
If you are really lucky, like me, you have they understand and are comfortable with your needs.
a support crew who has done similar events and understands the relationship.
Its important to understand your crew and what brings them there in the first
place. This will make it a lot easier to deal with the constant nagging
associated with the crew telling you to pack your gells, drink more water,
stretch, eat, sleep and all the other gentle advice you will receive along the
way. Don’t expect them to understand your needs unless you tell them what
they are. Chances are they are volunteers, they may have never done
anything like what you are asking them to do before. Talk to them, make sure
Say Thanks
The least you can do is buy your support goal. It would be a lot harder without them.
crew an event tshirt. They have probably slept a little more than you, they
wont be as sore and have probably experienced a lot more of the event and
community than you. But they have busted their butts to make sure you get what
you need. They have been more patient that you will ever know and have put up
with your whinging, whining, ego fuelled rants about it all being about you and
how good you are. Take the time to thank them for helping you achieve your
Here's a picture of my Dad at a mountain bike event last year. Carrying my snacks and waiting for me to drop into the transition area, eat everything, make a mess and leave... times haven't changed that much over the years.
Now what do you think? Have you ever been story or an addition to this list, let me know. Adam Evans
a support crew member, or had to rely on one? Had any good examples, or been
one of those poor miserable souls who have arrived at a checkpoint only to find
the friendly face holding the warm blanket and soup isn’t there. If you have a
Middle of the pack adventurer
The Banzai Adventurer 2012
