I have been to countless of races, sometimes as a race participant but most of the time as my husband’s cheerer. While some of the race supporters find it boringly grueling to stay under the heat of the sun just to see their racer for a few seconds each lap, I find it ultimately exciting.
May it be duathlons, triathlons, or marathons, sprints, standard, or long distance races, here are my tips on how to be a great race cheerer while enjoying the sidelines.
Pre-race:
o Book a transient place early. This increases the chance to book hotels/BnBs at a cheaper price and nearer the event place.
o Familiarize yourself with the race course. While the racers do this to know what to train for, us, race supporters do this to know where best to stay during race day for maximum probability to see your racers. Things to check:
- Where’s the start and finish line?
- Where are the route loops?
- Where’s the transition area? (for multisport events)
- How can you go from the start to finish lines if these are not the same points and are not walkable? Are event shuttles available?
o Know your racer’s targets (pace per leg, total finish time). This will increase your awareness of when you can expect to see your racer at a particular point in the route, especially if there is no tracker available for the race. This is the key in being at the right place at the right time.
o Know how you can track your racer. If there are race tracker apps, download them at least the night before. If there’s a web tracker, know the website. Explore. Check forums if you must. Know your racer’s bib number. This is usually the ID that is being asked for by the trackers. This makes sure that your are tracking the correct “John Doe” if there are multiple “John Doe’s” who are racing.
o Charge up. Make sure that you watch, phone, and camera are all fully charged. Bring a powerbank for long races. You will be needing these to track your racer.
o Know the weather and prepare for it. Aside from that one time where I cheered for my husband in the Tokyo Marathon, all the other races I have been to were held in the Philippines where it is either too hot or too wet. So I usually check the weather a few days before to know if I should dress for the heat or for the rain. Have a folding umbrella with you. This can protect you from the rain as well as from too much heat.
o Prepare for your own nutrition for race day. This is especially needed if you will be supporting long races which last 8 hours or more. You don’t want to be all frowning from hunger when your racer finishes.
o Allow your racer to rest. The day before the race is when your racer needs the most rest. Let them snooze a bit and be “lazy” for a day. Believe me, this makes a lot of difference to your racer and to your waiting time in the race.
o Help with reminders/checklists. I usually blurt out random items which I think may easily be forgotten by my racer considering the pre-race anxiety. “Nutrition? Water bottle? ID? Watch charger?” But please don’t ask like crazy to the point where you already sound like nagging. Allow your racer some space to do checks on their own.
Race Day:
o Wake up early. Don’t be a burder to your racer by getting up late especially if you will be going to the starting line with him. Or worse, you wouldn’t want to get up and see that the race is over.
o Gear up. Wear your planned outfit with your most comfortable shoes. Bring an ultra-light backpack for your stuff and your racer’s belongings which you will be holding on to,
o Wear sunscreen. Though races can be in cold environments, UV rays would still be there. Block them off with your favorite sunscreen. You’ll thank yourself for it later on.
o Find your spot. You have planned for this but there are some factors which may cause you to change your plans. Be flexible and welcome changes as they come. Find shade in races which are too hot. Checkout if there are road gutters which are clean enough to sit on. I really don’t suggest that you bring a chair as this is an excess baggage for you and may limit your flexibility in moving from one spot to another especially for multisport races.
o Use your tracker. This is the fastest way to estimate where your racer is at a particular time. Trackers are really powerful as their info can make you aware if your racer is on track with his target time. If I can see that my racer is slowing down significantly in a run route, I can deduce that maybe there’s a steep hill or he’s having cramps. If my racer is going too fast, I may give him a tip to check his pace when I see him.
o Remember your racer’s suit and be alert. When I see someone coming in a green and black suit, there’s a high chance that he can be my husband or my husband’s team mate. So I get myself ready to cheer and snap some awesome shots.
o Cheer on! This is why you are in the race in the first place. Call out their names, give them thumbs ups and high fives! Shout out encouraging cheers! I have raced myself. Trust me, cheers make a lot of difference in a racer’s disposition and performance.
o Eat and hydrate. This is often my mistake in race supporting. I usually fail to eat and end up hungrier than my racer after the race. You prepared your nutrition pre-race. Consume it.
o Be Patient. Remember, you are not the star of this show. You are here to make your star shine brighter. So, find something to do while waiting for the next loop. Take photos of random people and things. Appreciate your surroundings. Take selfies if you must. Boredom kills enthusiasm but enthusiasm can kill boredom.
Post Race:
o Open a bottle, and celebrate the victory. My husband always says, “It’s the training that’s the hard part. The race is the reward.” There are good and bad races but regardless of the race outcome, racing is a victory on its own. So be happy with how the race turned out and celebrate with good food and beer!
o Actively listen to race stories. This is as close as you can get to knowing what was happening while you were on the sidelines. This will complement your imagery of how the race happened. These stories affirm why you cheered on the entire race.
o Allow your racer and yourself to get some rest. It has been a long day and you are physically, and sometimes, emotionally exhausted. Book a massage or just relax, watch your favorite movie, or just get a good slumber. You and your racer deserve this pause.
That’s it. It’s quite a lengthy list because that’s what race supporting really is. The more you prepare, the more comfortable you’re going to be. The next time you decide to cheer on race day, there is nothing more important than this – having a positive attitude. Whether in or out of races this is indeed the key to everyone’s success in anything.
