· Your food and lodging are paid for on this wonderful vacation (you pay to get yourself there and back)
· You get to be a part of an elite athletic experience
· If you are considering doing something like this yourself, you get to see how it’s done
· You get to take a lot of credit for my success—I can’t do this without you!
· You have the opportunity to learn a lot about training for, planning for and executing a significant event, since when I am not racing I will be babbling on about everything
· You have the opportunity to pace me for parts of the double marathon (52.4 miles) in a beautiful place, getting in some valuable training time!
What does a Crew Member do?
· Drives/rides in the chase van that accompanies me during the bike and run legs.
· Helps “manage” me pre- and post-race days and in transition.
· Ensures adequate supplies are on hand during bike and run legs—including athlete and crew nutrition, hydration, cooling, medical, etc. This means that while I am getting a massage and trying to recoup my energy after Days 1 and 2, you are still busy doing stuff.
· Ensures athlete navigates course accurately (except during the swim where I will have a kayaker escort doing the honors—bonus if you can kayak and would be my escort!).
· Understands and is accountable for providing athlete nutrition, gear changes, cooling, pacing information.
· Keeps track of nutrition dispensed to keep athlete on track with needs.
· Ministers to athlete in case of poor judgment, problem solving and (when required) motivation
· Understands difference between athlete needing to HTFU and being in actual physical danger.
· Paces the athlete during the double marathon at times. This is not strictly a requirement, but I would prefer it if at least 1 of the crew can do this.
· Detailed information can be found here: http://ultramancanada.com/
Basically, you do a bunch of work while I show up and race!
The actual racing dates are 7/31-8/2, but I need crew members to be up there 2 days before so we can review final plans, perhaps drive parts of the bike courses, purchase supplies, etc.
The race directors will help me find a crew if I do not provide my own, but my preference is to have people that I know and trust, and I would expect to do some planning beginning in April-May (checklists and that sort of thing). It helps if you have done ultra-crew duties before and if you have done ultra-distance events, only so you are not alarmed at my physical or mental states along the way.
If you can’t do this yourself but you know someone who might be interested, please have them contact me, especially if they are in my local area (greater Chicagoland).
I don’t often ask for too much from others, but this time is a huge exception. If you do this for me, I will forever be in your gratitude and can hopefully return the favor !
