Support Crew Insights
Support crews are a much maligned but indispensable part of a team in any “supported” adventure race. Despite the low profile and somewhat ignominious life of a support person, the job can be extremely rewarding, especially if the team understands the importance of its role and treats the crew with the respect it deserves. Make no mistake; support crews have a very tough job, organizing, packing, unpacking and transporting race equipment and food. They also cook, clean, and provide moral, emotional and motivational support.
Many athletes fail to appreciate the amount of time, effort, dedication and commitment support crews apply to their job. Supporting can be as mentally and emotionally demanding as racing, and crews often operate on less sleep than the competing athletes.
If you want to work as a support crew — a great way to learn about the sport, help out a friend or loved one, or simply get out in the thick of things for a grand old time — there are a few important things you need to understand.
A support crew’s basic job is to move the team’s equipment and food around the course so that it is in place when the team arrives at each transition area (TA). A really good support crew can make the team’s transition fast, efficient and enjoyable. For big, supported races such as Primal Quest, Southern Traverse or Raid the North Extreme, you need to be well organized, hard working, level headed, decisive, easy going, positive, adaptable and unflappable under extreme stress. You should also be able to drive large vehicles, navigate roads and wilderness, move heavy gear boxes, maintain and repair bikes and other race equipment, cook, clean and motivate.
The best support crews have a very good understanding of how the athletes think and feel and can anticipate the team’s needs as they approach the transition area.
Ideally, you should be pleasant and upbeat while you deal with rotting putrid shoes with one hand, spoon feed a tired athlete with the other hand, and explain the next section of the course while the team asks you in semi-indelible tones for an obscure item buried somewhere in the green, or was it blue, gear box. Or did they leave that item back at the hotel?
Here is a rough chronological list of sample tasks the support crew tackles during a race:
* Round up the team and know what they left behind, where they need to be and how they register, check in and do their skills testing.
* Collect and carry all the athletes’ gear through check-in and testing.
* Locate the accommodations, cook meals, clean and organize everything pre-race.
* Drive frantically around in a small, unfamiliar town to buy vital equipment left at home by the team. This could include a 3.75-inch fixed blade knife or a pack of spearmint gum.
* Get the team to the start line on time. This is like herding cats.
* Pack all gear containers, food tubs, coolers, personal duffel bags, cooking equipment, bikes, kayaks, paddles, stray items of clothing left laying around and other extraneous items in the support van.
* Locate the first transition area on the support crew maps and plot a course there via the nearest bank, supermarket, outdoor store and gas station.
* Locate transition area and secure the best available location to maximize efficiency for the transition once the team arrives.
* Unpack the vehicle, set up tents, shelter, tarpaulin, chairs, tables, stove, gear boxes and extra personal bags, keeping a check on the time and estimated arrival time of the race team.
* Start heating food options for the in-transition meal, none of which the athletes will want, even though they asked for it before the start.
* Prepare necessary gear, apparel, food and water for each athlete for the next section of the course.
* Prepare medical kit to treat possible injuries and tubs for washing feet if necessary.
* Wait nervously for the arrival of the team while keeping food warm and gear dry.
* Try to catch a few minutes of sleep while keeping one eye on the simmering food, one eye on the clock, and wishing you had another eye or to watch the transition area entrance and timing board.
* Once team arrives direct them to their gear and give them an overview of the upcoming section of the course, explaining any pertinent information. Give the maps and instructions to the navigator(s). Make it clear what the team members need and what they don’t need so they can organize themselves. Assist the team as necessary, keeping a positive attitude and sunny demeanor regardless of how tired you are, how crabby the athletes are, and how unreasonable their requests.
* Once the athletes leave, organize and re-pack everything into the support vehicle and drive like the wind to the next transition area, via the gas station, supermarket and hardware store, for the inevitable random items now required.
* Repeat, including cleaning and repairing bikes, clothes, and other equipment for the next section, and remember to feed yourself.
* Repeat until the end of the race as you progressively lose sleep and gain a peculiar odor and disheveled look.
Three-time Eco-Challenge winner Ian Adamson got his start in the sport in 1984 as part of a support crew where he became "quite familiar with dirty socks." Once bitten by the race bug, he hopped (well, ran, rode and paddled) to the other side of the fence.
