Support Crews
A good support crew can be the difference between having a successful event or suffering a soul-destroying Did Not Finish, DNF. It is essential to choose the right support crew for you. When planning your Support Crew you should consider the following; Support Crew Rules: Ask your support crew to read the support crew rules before the start of the BTU. This is extremely important and may cost you a time penalty or disqualification if the support crew breaks a BTU - Support Crew Rule.
A good support crew can be the difference between having a successful event or suffering a soul-destroying Did Not Finish, DNF. It is essential to choose the right support crew for you.
When planning your Support Crew you should consider the following;
Support Crew Rules: Ask your support crew to read the support crew rules before the start of the BTU. This is extremely important and may cost you a time penalty or disqualification if the support crew breaks a BTU - Support Crew Rule.
Excellent Navigation: Your Support Crew must have the skills to navigate to each Checkpoint. Please help your Support Crew by loading the Checkpoint Location on google maps before the event. Do this when you are both stress-free and calm. Talk to them about each Checkpoint and the distance you've covered when you've made it to each Checkpoint. Communication will help them understand your challenge and understand their role as your support crew.
Phone and Data: Can follow you on your GPS tracker and communicate with you throughout the race if needed. Tell your support crew where there are dead zones on the course, like at CP5, Gold Creek Reservoir. Create a strategy for contacting each other. Plan to text message or phone your support crew on the top of the ridge before you descend into a checkpoint. Tell your support crew what you require from them at the next Checkpoint. This planning and preparation that utilises the optimal phone coverage will aid with your comms plan and speed up your transition in and out of a checkpoint.
Plan: It is your role to plan and prepare for every possible scenario and have it ready for your support crew to implement this plan for you. Tell then your nutrition and hydration plan for each Checkpoint. Tell your support crew when you pick up your good headlamp, change into your night warm clothes and pick up your pacer.
Experience: An ultra runner or a close friend or family member is an excellent choice for a support crew. They will have experienced ultra's through either their races or by watching you over the years.
Weather Reports: Extreme weather events may happen when you are racing. In 2019 the BTU course had over 50ml of rain at My Nebo. Ask your support crew to regularly check the weather report and provide you with up-to-date information on the predicted weather. Ask your support crew to put the foul weather plan for you and arrange your night-time foul weather kit if needed.
Respect Volunteers and BTU Staff: In the past, sadly, support crews have been rude and demanding to our volunteers. We ask you to have a conversation with your support crew about being kind and respectful to our volunteers and BTU Staff.
Caring For Your Support Crew
Wellbeing: Make sure your Support Crew has a packed lunch for the day. Near the start line in The Gap, there is a Coles. Let them know the opening times and make sure they stock up on snacks and treats for themselves for the duration of the event. There are many Cafes on the course, The Gap, Brookfield, Paddington, Mt Nebo, and Mt Glorious. Let your support crew know where they can buy coffee and lunch. There is a great Burger Place in Paddington, with loads of restaurants. Make sure your support crew eats and is well-fed and also stays hydrated. Support Crews are not allowed to take food from the checkpoints. They must be self-sufficient while on the course.
Managing Fatigue: Your support crew must plan when they will be sleeping. The roads around Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious are some of the most dangerous roads in Queensland. Your support crew mustn't be driving when they are tired. A one-person support crew is good. Two people or more support crew is better, as it will allow the support crew to share the driving through the night if one of your support crew becomes tired.
Staying Warm and Dry: Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious temperatures can drop below zero in winter. Winter conditions combined with winds can lead to freezing conditions. Support Crews can wait for hours for a runner in exposed areas and may become hyperthermic if not dressed appropriately. Ensure the support crew also carried Mountain Kit, warm wet weather jackets with a hood. Packing a tea or coffee flask or gas stove for boiling water for hot teas and coffee to keep themselves warm is an excellent way to keep their core temperature stable and prevent hyperthermia.
Gratitude: Be humble and thankful to your support crew. Support Crews endure harsh conditions to help you achieve your goal. Being a support crew member is often a selfless role that can be unrecognised for the amount of effort required for your achievement. They are sacrificing their time for you to succeed. Always be grateful and kind to your support crew. Let me know that you appreciate them being there for you.
Night Running
Night Running can be an enjoyable, exciting, or highly daunting experience. Your vision is reduced, fatigue starts to set in, and you're trying to run fast at the end of an event, but the conditions just made your task of staying on your feet much more challenging.
Night Running can be an enjoyable, exciting, or highly daunting experience. Your vision is reduced, fatigue starts to set in, and you're trying to run fast at the end of an event, but the conditions just made your task of staying on your feet much more challenging.
Some people enjoy Night running more than day running as your focus is only on the spotlight on the ground, and the climbs seem smaller than in the daylight. Night Running can enhance your ability to focus on each step and stay in the moment by blocking out all distractions with darkness. It is a surreal experience and adds excitement to each race or training session.
Practice Makes Perfect.
Train, train, train. Train with your Headlamp and your backup Headlamp.
Make sure you know how to use it. Practice changing the Headlamp settings. Practice changing the batteries over or recharging your battery. Teach your support crew also how to use your Headlamp. It's a good idea to get your support crew a headlamp too.
Make sure your Headlamp fits correctly.
Use a Headskin to reduce the bounce when running, and fits adjust the strap so it does not move when you run.
Charge Your Battery
Charge your Battery the Night Before the Event Or Put in FRESH NEW Batteries before the event or long training session.
During The Race
Wear your BTU Headskin under your Headlamp to protect your head from rubbing. It will catch sweat and prevent it from dripping into your eyes.
Make sure the battery is on the correct setting, and you aren't wasting battery life being on a too powerful setting for the battery you have chosen.
If It is Raining
Wear a Visor it will one-stop water from getting into your eyes.
It will help improve the visibility in the rain by keeping the raindrops away from your Headlamp.
Manage Your Head Lamp Battery Life.
Be aware of your battery life; ay-ups have a life of 6-12 Hours Epic, or 2-6 Hours 1/2 Epic. UTMF I used my Ay-Up on the Medium Setting, and it lasted the whole Night through (We started at 3 pm). Change the setting on your Headlamp to make sure you can get to the end of the event.
If you have rechargeable batteries, test your battery's battery life and write on that battery how long it lasted in a training session. Marked batteries will help you decide which battery to use for each course section.
Slow Down
Your visibility will naturally make you slow down; however, you are more likely to get lost, trip, or fall over in the dark. Be aware and conscious of each step.
Stay calm
Chill out, relax, remember to breathe. Set your torch to Ahead 3-5m. You want to set your distance far enough ahead to have enough time to react while on the run. You may need to slow down and scan ahead for track junctions every minute to prevent getting lost.
Nocturnal Animal Life
Australia has much nocturnal fauna. The bush is alive with rustling as you race along the trails. Stay alert; you may startle animals on the run. Use the nightlife sounds as motivation to keep running fast.
Stay Warm
Chances are the temperature has dropped by at least 10-15 degrees. Put a thermal top on at Dusk to keep your core temperature in "Running Mode." You will be tired and low of Glycogen, and you want all your energy for running, NOT HEATING. Put an extra layer on at night, especially if you are running in winter, on ridge tops, or in the rain. Most of the BTU, Did Not Finish, occur at Night. A decrease in temperatures, and the combination of fatigue, can lead to runners core temperatures becoming too cold to function effectively. Stay warm and comfortable, and you'll feel much better. Your muscle will be warmer and feel less tight.
Grab a hot drink at a checkpoint and heat your core temperature when heading off into the Night Section of the course.
Avoid sitting too long; it will only lead to your body stiffing up. Grab your drink and go, walking with a hot drink in your hand.
Know The Course
If you can train on the course, then do it. Train in the day first to familiarise yourself with the course first, then come back at Night and rerun the course, say on a Friday, after work, when you are fatigued. Knowing the course will reduce your chances of you getting lost. This training session will replicate the feeling of fatigue that you might experience in an event.
If you are running a course that you've not had the chance to train on, for example, in a different country, run with the relevant map/course description in your hands. Study the map, familiarise yourself with the names of the Track Junctions of the course and be aware of the name of your next turn-off. Map awareness will save you time in kilometers while running through the bush at Night. BTU is well marked; however, some courses do not have course markings, course tampering may occur even on well-marked events. Course tampering has happened in all BTU, UTA, UTMF, and more events, be prepared for this and know your course map.
Be smart. Get tech-savvy.
Load up the GPX files on your smartwatch. The watch will beep at you if you are off course. Do what the elites do, get someone to help you load up the course onto you watch.
Loving Every Step
Appreciation of my ability to run an ultra gives me boundless fulfillment. Every time I work out my nutrition and hydration plan, pack my drop bags and get ready to go, I give thanks to my mind and body for the ability and commitment to entering, completing a program, making it to the start line of an ultra.
Love Every Step - Yup! That’s FUJI
Appreciation of my ability to run an ultra gives me boundless fulfillment.
Every time I work out my nutrition and hydration plan, pack my drop bags and get ready to go, I give thanks to my mind and body for the ability and commitment to entering, completing a program, making it to the start line of an ultra.
This gift of optimum health must be recognised and thanked - Well Done! I've been able to do what so many won't do. It is vital to acknowledge yourself' achievement, as many people have chosen life's easy route, but you've chosen the path with adversity.
Hitting the Night Section in UTMF
Feeling great, having an ultra-trail party🥳 2nd Place
When I am on course, racing and training, I try to stay in the moment as much as possible. My mind's focus - Love Every Step.
I thank my mind and body for making it through the program and being fit and healthy enough to race in this event. I am miles ahead of the general population who choose to stay on the couch and take the easy route. I've selected the course of a challenging adventure that will give you a rewarding life-changing experience that will delve you deep into one's inner self, where I will emerge renewed pride of fighting your inner demons of self-doubt. My mental toughness skills using positive thinking is the key to overcoming self-doubt and will guide me through to the finish line.
75km into UTA - Having an Ultra-Trail
PARTY 🥳 after this photo I ran into 3rd position.
Love-Every-Step - Strength, Love, Passion, Drive, is my mantra. I repeat this to myself over and over again when I am climbing.
What's your mantra? - Write it out - have it ready, practice it.
Trail Love ❤️
I look around; I see the beauty in my surroundings. I enjoy the views, I love the trees, I touch the mosses, I connect with my surroundings, and I soak up the positive life energy around me on the trails. I give appreciation to the universe for the beauty I am running in. I have found that when I am conscious of nature heart rate drops, and I make it up climbs, over the kilometers, with a smile on my face.
Loving the scenery of the Mt Blanc Marathon
Take every step and Love Every Step. I am thanking myself for each step. Each step is a gift to yourself.
When I am around others, be it a competitor, fellow trail runner or friend, volunteer, spectator, or just a walker on the trails, I mentally and verbally wish them goodwill and compassion. If a competitor passes me, I wish them good luck. I think of them hope they have a great race. My gift in return for solidarity is I am filled with joy. If I am racing with someone, if they are also in a positive mindset, I will work with this person and share the burden of our shared endeavor. If I find an injured runner, I offer them assistance. I always carry extra endurolytes to hand out to runners suffering on the course. Studies have shown that sharing a life-changing experience with others unites you through this shared experience. A friend made during an ultra we will be a friend I have forever.
Ultra-Trail running too many is a gift, you've had to sacrifice time away from your children, loved ones, social functions so you can get through your training program. A race is your opportunity to express gratitude to yourself, show thanks to your family, be thankful to those around you by having the best experience out on the course.
Love Every Step
Once I am in a beautiful positive mindset, I will be having an ultra-trail, 100Mi party out on the course, sharing a fantastic experience with those around me. I must stay vigilant, look after my nutrition and hydration plan. If this slips, my mind's ability to remain positive will also decrease. It is essential to stay focused on your eating and drinking. Nutrition and Hydration is the key to staying fresh, positive, and filled with love. If I run out of energy, I will be crying. The depths of depression are never far away. If this happens to me, I must be within my limits enough to recognise this and have the ability to problem-solve my way out of this dark hole. I start with Hydration, then comes nutrition. Or I walk for three minutes and allow my heart rate to come down and lactic acid to flush from my system. I start replenishing the energy slowly, following my nutrition plan. Slowly, knowing that if I care and look after myself, I will feel better.
Hitting the Wall, 400m to go in the Mt Blanc Marathon, 9th Place - Time to stay those Mantras
Strength, Love Passion, Drive
I think of my training when I usually have a bad patch and say to myself. "You always feel bad between 30-50km. After 50 is when you feel better, that is when you hit the fat burn zone". I start my mantras, "Strength, Love, Passion, Drive," a meditation on the run. I feel the energy return, knowing that I have completed the training. I am looking after my Nutrition and Hydration. Therefore I am looking after myself. I self-care, self-love, and appreciate myself for all I have achieved to get to this race. I look around me and start loving every step, loving myself for the ability to run this race, and appreciating others for sharing this experience with me.
It’s all for TRAIL LOVE ❤️
Mental Toughness
Actual Mental toughness is the ability to understand the correct focus at any time that will help you get to your goal. The negative self-talk will prevent you from getting to your goal and make you upset and sad.
This is tough, I am tougher!
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Mental Strategies for Racing "This is Tough But I am Tougher"
Everyone gets nervous before an event. It is normal to feel anxious and scared. We all freak out about an injury that we have been managing for about two months, or fear of not being able to perform, worried they you may injure yourself, freeze to death, fall off a mountain, trip over break an arm, worried you'll have gastro for 30km, when will my asthma start?
The fear of not being in control is the scary part of managing those emotions that will be the difference to a fantastic successful race full of fun and enjoyment like a party ultra party or a sad, negative experience.
We train our Butts Off to Race, but how often do we train our minds?
Tip - First Up - I give up Coffee Two Weeks Prior to an event.
WTF !!!
Then put it in on race day. If you can do this it WILL feel like an ultra party for 100-160km!
My Top 10 Mental Strategies and Training Techniques;
1. Visualisation, The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy.
Dare to Dream, Dare to Believe.
I think it; then it can come true.
Visualisation can have a powerful tool to help you obtain your sporting success. Visualisation involves mental rehearsing of the upcoming event. I usually start visualising positive outcomes for a race when I hit the Taper and in Training in my long runs on challenging hill climbs or when my training run replicates my upcoming race. I lay down when I go to bed at night, and I run through the upcoming event. I also problem-solve during this process and make sure I have all my race kit, medications, hydration, and fueling organised.
2. Positive Self Talk is internal dialog.
"This event is Tough but I am Tougher". Have this thought ready to pop into your head when you are hurting. Prepare some phrases ready to go, and make sure you remember to smile to yourself after you say it. This will also help make you feel better. Here are some examples;
Thought - "This is Tough." - Your answer "But I am Tougher". - Smile
Thought - "F this Climb" - Your answer - "I love this Climb". - Smile
Thought - "I'm hurting" - Your answer "Then they must be hurting too, we are all in this together". Sending out love, empathy, and compassion for your fellow competitor will help relieve your pain. - Smile.
Showing compassion and empathy for your fellow competitor will enhance both your trail running experience, you will both triumph over common adversity and share the remarkable achievement together.
Remember you survive an ultra first, then you race it to the finish line.
3. Write Positive Slogans On Your Hands.
I'm known for covering myself in positive self-talk. I am easily distracted, and I need to be reminded that I am here to race and compete. I need to focus on myself.
Some of my favourites are slogans are;
"Finishing is the Only Option".
"Fix your head and your body will follow".
"Go Get them Tiger".
"FOCUS"
Or a mantra that you repeat to yourself every time you climb.
"Strength, Love, Passion Drive."
It can be anything, but it has to be positive and it can't use the words "Don't" (For example "Don't Give Up" all you will hear is "Give Up"). It can even be different for each event, it is whatever is relevant to you at the time of each race. Remember we evolve into a different person after each ultra through our triumph over our struggles.
4. Positive Internal Affirmations - Be your own Cheer Squad when racing and training. Compliment your competitors too. You will hear it while you are encouraging them. It's a win-win!
I feel great.
I'm ahead of schedule.
Well Done, you made it up that climb.
You are over halfway, and you're on the home stretch now.
Be your own best cheer squad when you are racing and training.
5.Relaxation/Psyching.
Warm-up correctly with your running drills and range of motions exercises.
Treat the start of the race just like any other training session.
I like to isolate myself from the crowd and do my own warm-up and just run out a few nerves and make sure my lungs are warmed up.
While I do my warm-up, I also check over my gear from feet to head. I start at my laces, then socks, calf guards, shorts, singlet, amolin (lanolin) cream, pack, gloves, cap, look after my pre-race nutrition and hydration, medications.
I do this about 30-10 min before an event. I also make sure I go to the bathroom at this time also.
10 min before the event, I am ready to go.
Once I have everything sorted and I am ready to go, that is when I find my running mates and start chatting I find it very calming to my nerves.
6. Focusing and Monitoring.
The ability to concentrate on the task at hand and block out unnecessary stimuli. If your mind wanders, then you can drop off the pace.
Set your GPS Watch to remind you how fast you've gone every kilometer.
Write achievable splits for you to aim for. I write these on my arm or hand or in my Drop Bags.
Stay within the PRESENT Moment. Practice this while Training. I count out my tempo in my head constantly. 1-100, usually, this will get me to the top of most climbs in Australia, a large climb I keep repeating the 1-100 steps until I am at the top or say a mantra, like Strength, Love, Passion, Drive over and over again.
7. Mental Bargaining.
Make a deal with yourself to help you overcome barriers. You can have a bottle of
Champagne once you’ve finished this!
I have 10km to go. That's 5km 2x2.5km, or that's my favourite training run that I do every Wednesday. 14km to go that's the City2Surf, 8kms that's the Mother's Day Classic, 42km to go that's only a Marathon. 50km to go......I like running 50km, that's when I feel my best, after 50km.
Or it can be, you can walk when you get to that tree. I will run 20 walks 20 to the top of that hill. I'm running 100 Steps, and I am walking 20 steps.
You can have that special treat in your drop bag at the CP when you get there.
Break down your race into achievable distances. For instance, I will make it to the turnaround, and I'll make it to the checkpoint, and so on. I never think of the race as an entire 160km. I always break it down into smaller, manageable distances. Checkpoint to checkpoint, that's all I have to do.
An even smaller goal can be to focus on the ground in front of your feet. Keep your eyes here, you can manage this patch of dirt in front of your feet, that's all you have to do is focus on the ground in front of you, because you can achieve that small distance just in front of your feet.
8. External Affirmations.
Crowds!!!! I love a crowd. I love people. They boost my spirits.
Cheer on your competitors, give them a cheer, I'm sure they will provide you with one in return. I love out and backs or relay events when runners constantly pass me. I can cheer them on, and they will cheer me on too. "You looking strong" "Keep up the pace".
SMART Competitors will take these comments at face value and use them to augment any internal affirmations and positive self-talk. When we are weak, we will look for the negative in their praise. It is important to stay positive. They say I am looking strong. I must be strong.
9. Technique and Efficiently.
If you are hurting, take a step back from your goals and work on your running technique and say the following;
I will run to the top of this hill, concentrating on DRIVING MY KNEES Forward and UPWARDS. I will race these flats with my shoulders back and down, hands brushing my hips, landing on the mid to front of my feet, and kicking out the back with my ears over my hips.
In the end, if you run with a great technique, you will get to the finish line faster and with less chance of injury or fatigue. You will also make your next race better just by training the correct muscles when racing.
10. Reframing.
After a negative experience, there is a tendency to dwell on the negative. If you've missed your split, or you've lost a few positions, or you feel crap. Look at your race as a learning experience. Each race you do is an extremely TOUGH training session. Every race will make you stronger, tougher, smarter, more efficient, and experienced. Just look at this race as a stepping stone to your next event. You will only get better by racing more often. It is a huge learning curve. Races can be the best training sessions you will do in a year. Look at this race as an amazing opportunity to improve in safe and supported conditions.
