Crew and Pacers
Rules and guidelines for your crew and pacers.
Aid station #8, Cave Spring Park, Mile 93.01
Do You Really Need a Crew or Pacers?
Many run 100 races and now 200 races, without any crew or pacers. Some runners prefer to stay focused on the race. Some like to visit! There actually are several reasons you might not want a crew. There are also several very good reasons why a crew might be responsible for your finishing the 200.
The Negatives: A crew can actually slow you down. Let’s suppose your crew is your wife, as in my case. You know she spent an hour or more in the middle of the night getting to a particular aid station to help me. For fear of being late, she always arrives at the next AS hours ahead of schedule and sits in the freezing car or stands out in the cold waiting. Runners usually want to get through the aid station as quickly as possible to stay safely ahead of the cutoffs or to lose as little time as possible, or maybe you are just trying to stay with the competition. When you do get there, you feel bad just rushing through and leaving her in just a few minutes after she has spent hours just to help you. You may hang out too long. Be sure your crew understands in advance, their job is to get in and out of the aid station as quickly as possible and still meet all your needs.
Another Negative, Aid Stations are often very difficult to find. Some are virtually impossible. If I know my wife is wondering around in the middle of nowhere by herself, especially at night, You are going to be worrying about her when you should be focused on the race.
The Positives: Sometimes things aren’t going well in an ultra, never mind a 200. You feel bad, you are exhausted, maybe dehydrated. Your crew can calm you down, get you eating and drinking so you can get some energy back. They may know what you need better than you do, especially late in a race. They may “make” sit and rest a while.
Positive #2: This sounds like the Negative. You know your crew has spent hours, or days in the case of the Southern States 200 supporting you, helping you, feeding you, in short, just being there for you. Your crew had made a huge effort and contribution to your race. You DO NOT want to let them down. The thought that they are there waiting at the end for you might be the single element that gets you through to the finish.
Rules for Pacers - As stated earlier, Pacers must follow ALL RULES for runners.
The following rules are specific to pacers.
All runners may have pacers starting at High Point (Georgia) Aid Station at mile 71.4. Pacers may only start pacing at Crew Accessible aid stations. Pacers must stop pacing at crew accessible aid stations.
Any runner over 65 years of age may have a pacer the entire race. Pacers may start at any crew accessible aid station.
Runners, your Pacer Must wear the “Pacer Bib” while pacing. You will be given ONE pacer bib at check-in. This bib must be passed from pacer to pacer if you have multiple pacers.
Pacers must sign a “Pacers Release” before pacing. All Crew Accessible aid stations will have the release forms available for pacers.
Pacers must notify the appropriate aid station personnel (The Volunteer checking runner in and out) when they start pacing and when they stop pacing. Failure to do so may result in the disqualification of your runner. We must know who is on the course at all times.
Runners and pacers MUST stay together. If your pacer is having trouble keeping up, you, the runner, must slow down and stay with your pacer. Pacers must stay with the runner they are pacing.
Pacers are required to carry all the Mandatory Runner Gear at all times when packing. (Except SPOT Trackers) Pacers are subject to random gear checks, same as are the runners.
At the end of a pacing section and within site of the next aid station, no more than two hundred to three hundred yards out, pacers are allowed to run ahead to the aid station to get the runners gear ready.
Dogs are not allowed to run with any runner or pacer at any time during the race. There are no exceptions.
RULES YOUR CREW MUST FOLLOW
Your Crew may meet you at all crew accessible aid stations.
Your crew MAY NOT provide aid or assistance of any king outside the aid station location.
You are responsible for the behavior of your crew!
Your crew MUST follow the directions of the aid station captain.
Aid station food and shelter is for runners and pacers ONLY!! Be sure your crew understands they may not remove food or drink from the aid stations.
Your crew may NOT enter the aid station tent or pavilion before you check in at the aid station. They may accompany you into the Aid Station and assist you while there.
Your crew may get your drop bag before you arrive at the aid station to have your supplies ready for you. The drop bags will be located away from the aid station tent or pavilion.
While you (the runner) are checked in at the aid station, even if you are at your personal aid station area, you may send a crew member to the Aid Station to get food and drink or other supplies for you.
Young Children ARE NOT ALLOWED in any actual aid station tent or pavilion, at any time. Aid stations will be very busy with runners, volunteers, pacers, and crew members working to get everyone taken care of as efficiently as possible. If you have small children with you, please keep them outside of the actual aid station so they don't get “knocked over” in the hustle and bustle.
Dogs are not allowed in ANY AID STATION tent or Pavilion. If your crew has a dog with it, the dog MUST stay in the crew vehicle or near your personal aid station. Dogs may not roam free in the aid station area. For the safety of the dog and others, all pets should be on a leash.
NO LITTERING, EVER. Immediate disqualification!!! When your crew leaves an aid station area, they MUST take all their trash with them. Leave nothing at the aid station.
Stashing Food or Supplies: DO NOT allow your crew to stash food, drink or other supplies anywhere along the course. Aid may only be given in Aid Stations.
Aid Station Accessibility: All crew accessible aid stations can be reached by any standard car. Four-Wheel drive is not needed. Most are on highways. Coleman Lake is the exception. The Coleman Lake Aid Station can only be reached over 8 or 10 miles of bumpy gravel forest roads. Allow extra time if you are driving to Coleman Lake.
Crew Vehicles Passes: All crew vehicles must display a Southern States 200 Crew Car Pass on the dash of the Crew Car at all times. It must be clearly visible and must show the name and number of the runner they are crewing. Cars not displaying the Car Pass will not be allowed in aid stations.
Crew Vehicles Size: Due to the limited space in the trailheads, we will not allow any Motor Homes or Sprinter Type camper vans over 24 ft. in length. Camper Trailers will not be allowed at all. Any standard car or truck is fine.
Crew Parking: Crew vehicles may park at any Crew Accessible Aid Station. Snake Gap, the first aid station, is a large trailhead with adequate room for crew parking. Due to being near the start, the aid station will be very busy. We will have volunteers directing parking. Your crew must park as directed.
Your crew must not arrive at an aid station more than 30 minutes ahead of you, their Runner. Be sure they know how to keep up with your progress on live tracking and how to estimate when to arrive. If your crew does reach the aid station area early, which is a good idea, they should find a safe place to park, away from the aid station, and wait.
Your crew is to remember, some of those volunteers have been working many hours or even DAYS. Your crew is not to Complain or argue with volunteers. If your crew has a complaint, they are to contact the Race Directors AFTER THE RACE.
Take Care of Your CREW
Sometimes we forget that our crew doesn’t always understand what they are getting into or what they are going to have to deal with. This is especially true if this is their first “Crewing Experience.” They may be cold, hot, sunburned, rained on or windblown. They may spend hours sitting around waiting with, no food, no water, no lights, no Coffee! Don’t let that happen. If your crew is new to all this madness, be sure they are prepared. You, the runner should provide the crew with just about everything they will need during YOUR race. If you do a good job, your crew might come back next year!
Find out what your crew likes to eat and drink and stock the car with it. Have lots of snacks and substantial food they can eat anytime. Find out where the closest fast-food restaurants and real restaurants are located along the course. They can even bring you late-night Whopper!
Be sure to have a cooler with ice, water, cokes, iced tea, Gatorade, maybe even a couple of beers. (I would leave out the “Fireballs.”) If they like coffee, see if they would like some of those Starbucks Coffee drinks. Bring a thermos they can refill at a gas station or restaurant. You could even bring a Coleman Stove, a pot and instant coffee or other things.
There are Locate hotels along the course at strategic locations. Rent a room for them when possible. This gives your crew a chance to rest and regroup.
Provide a camping tent and sleeping bags if your crew do not have them. You might even want to rent a campsite at the campgrounds along the course.
Provide a pop-up tent and a folding table and chairs so they can get out of the sun during the day if it’s hot, or out of the rain if necessary. Don’t forget an extra chair for you.
Be sure your crew knows to bring extra dry clothes, jackets, hats, gloves, warm base layers, and several pairs of shoes. They may also need ponchos and anything else you can think of. Check the forecast the day before the race.
It would be a good idea to grab some of those chemical hand warmers and an umbrella. You might want to stick a set in your drop bags too. (Hand warmers, not an umbrella.)
Bring a backpack or large bag for your crew to load your stuff into. You can preload the backpack so everything you might need is readily available. Be sure to put a large towel in there too. Towels make a great place to spread out all your supplies on the ground.