From the Dallas Morning News, July 10, 2012
The Ultra Crew
My Journeys
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Crewing
Crewing
Let me start by saying, as a runner I take full blame for every DNF, did my crew have a hand in them, yes maybe.
My first race that I had a crew at was RR100, 2012.
How did I go about picking my crew is where I made my biggest mistake. I picked friends that new me away from ultra running, big mistake.
A crew needs to now you as an ultra runner not just as a friend. Now in saying that, not all runners much less ultra runners make good crew members.
My crew chief is a high school track coach. What else could you want in a crew chief, running is their life. Will it's all good if they have the time to put in away from the track team.
One of my other crew members was an ultra runner with four 100 mile finishes along with being a 30 plus year friend. You would think someone with this background would be just the ticket you would want on your crew. One word can sum up the problem I had with them, EGO! Their ego was so big they would do the little things that helped derail my goal. From not being at crew aid station areas because they wanted to work some other aid station to not showing up until late afternoon after the race stated.
Two of my other crew members were new to the ultra running world, their longest run being a 50k. Not that a 50k is a walk in the park. But they had no clue as to what I was going to feel at 50 miles much less just trying to make it to the finish line of a 100 miler. But for their lack of knowledge they both made up in giving all their heart and soul in doing whatever I ask them to do. Just a few days before I toed the line one of them, that was also one of my pacers was dealing with a knee injury. Without thinking twice the other stepped up to pace me even though they have never ran trails at night! To me I couldn't ask more from a crew member then to do this!
My last crew member was a good friend that is not a runner. Wow, it was like I was in training for a 5k having to go over running terms to how my gear worked. I'll say why I ask them to be a part of my crew. They are over weight by 250-300 pounds! I was hoping that being around a group of people who have worked so hard to get in shape, it would help inspire him to start changing his life. One more mistake I made by getting side tracked by wanting to help a friend when it was my day. You ask if it did anything to help get them started in changing his lifestyle, no, not at all.
Looking back, what will change.
All crew members will have a running background. It would be nice for them to have an ultra running background. But as I learned, not all ultra runners make good crew members.
I will also have every crew member read, Death Valley Ultras: The Complete Crewing Guide. It may be written about crewing in Death Valley, but the info can be used for any ultra. If they don't want to read it, they want crew me. Race day is not the time or place to learn the little stuff!
My crew chief will not only know me away from running, but they will put in some long training miles with me. They need to know what I need way before I know I need it! Be it from changing socks and or shoes, to I need to eat or drink more or less.
My pacers will also put in long training miles with me. I need to know going into race day they can deal with just about anything they may take place in the middle of the night in the rain with a temp of 35F.
Race day is not the time to learn how the runners gear works or their wants and needs.
As a runner the last thing you want to deal with is, drama, egos and cry babies.
What I love best about ultra running is the other runners. I feel when I toe the line, every runner there is part of my crew. Out on the trail they are willing to help out any runner make it to the finish line! Not sure of any other sport that can say that.
In closing let me say, my biggest and best crew member is my family! They support me in this crazy sport. Put up with my long training days and my never-ending running stories.
Let me start by saying, as a runner I take full blame for every DNF, did my crew have a hand in them, yes maybe.
My first race that I had a crew at was RR100, 2012.
How did I go about picking my crew is where I made my biggest mistake. I picked friends that new me away from ultra running, big mistake.
A crew needs to now you as an ultra runner not just as a friend. Now in saying that, not all runners much less ultra runners make good crew members.
My crew chief is a high school track coach. What else could you want in a crew chief, running is their life. Will it's all good if they have the time to put in away from the track team.
One of my other crew members was an ultra runner with four 100 mile finishes along with being a 30 plus year friend. You would think someone with this background would be just the ticket you would want on your crew. One word can sum up the problem I had with them, EGO! Their ego was so big they would do the little things that helped derail my goal. From not being at crew aid station areas because they wanted to work some other aid station to not showing up until late afternoon after the race stated.
Two of my other crew members were new to the ultra running world, their longest run being a 50k. Not that a 50k is a walk in the park. But they had no clue as to what I was going to feel at 50 miles much less just trying to make it to the finish line of a 100 miler. But for their lack of knowledge they both made up in giving all their heart and soul in doing whatever I ask them to do. Just a few days before I toed the line one of them, that was also one of my pacers was dealing with a knee injury. Without thinking twice the other stepped up to pace me even though they have never ran trails at night! To me I couldn't ask more from a crew member then to do this!
My last crew member was a good friend that is not a runner. Wow, it was like I was in training for a 5k having to go over running terms to how my gear worked. I'll say why I ask them to be a part of my crew. They are over weight by 250-300 pounds! I was hoping that being around a group of people who have worked so hard to get in shape, it would help inspire him to start changing his life. One more mistake I made by getting side tracked by wanting to help a friend when it was my day. You ask if it did anything to help get them started in changing his lifestyle, no, not at all.
Looking back, what will change.
All crew members will have a running background. It would be nice for them to have an ultra running background. But as I learned, not all ultra runners make good crew members.
I will also have every crew member read, Death Valley Ultras: The Complete Crewing Guide. It may be written about crewing in Death Valley, but the info can be used for any ultra. If they don't want to read it, they want crew me. Race day is not the time or place to learn the little stuff!
My crew chief will not only know me away from running, but they will put in some long training miles with me. They need to know what I need way before I know I need it! Be it from changing socks and or shoes, to I need to eat or drink more or less.
My pacers will also put in long training miles with me. I need to know going into race day they can deal with just about anything they may take place in the middle of the night in the rain with a temp of 35F.
Race day is not the time to learn how the runners gear works or their wants and needs.
As a runner the last thing you want to deal with is, drama, egos and cry babies.
What I love best about ultra running is the other runners. I feel when I toe the line, every runner there is part of my crew. Out on the trail they are willing to help out any runner make it to the finish line! Not sure of any other sport that can say that.
In closing let me say, my biggest and best crew member is my family! They support me in this crazy sport. Put up with my long training days and my never-ending running stories.
Monday, February 6, 2012
2012 Rocky Raccoon 100 miler
Wow, here do I start?
The Rocky Raccoon 100 is ran at Huntsville State Park in the great State of Texas! It's a 5 lap, 20 mile course.
Race morning I woke up at 3am and remembered I forgot my bib and timing chip I my truck. I wasn't planning on getting up until 4am! So I got up and told one of my crew guys that I needed to go get them from the truck. But before I went out I took a look at the weather radar only to see a line of OMG weather coming at us!
We were under all kinds of warnings, tornado, flood & thunderstorm! So 4am came and it was time to start getting ready! After packing up in the hotel room we made or way down to the lobby only to see what looked like a hurricane going on outside! What a fun start to the day its going to be! Once at Huntsville State Park the weather was only get worse!
We must of got 4-5 inches of rain race morning and the lightning was crazy! But the race must go on and start time was 6am. So around 5:30 it was time to get the rain gear on and make my way to the start line! It was now time to, toe the line for my first 100 miler!
The race started on time and off we went! As we made our way off into the darkness the trail at this point wasn't all that bad. Little did we know what was waiting for us just a few miles down the trail! As the pack made its way over one of the small foot bridges we found that a tree had fallen across it over night. No big deal, just made our way over it. The first really bad trail area came at about mile 5 or so. It was maybe about 100 yards long and nothing but mud, this isn't good being we would pass this area twice ever lap! The rain was letting up a little by now and it was starting to get day light. All and all the first 20 miles went real good, I was staying true to my pace chart.
 |
| End of 20 miles |
I dropped my rain gear and headlight off with my crew, told them that it was muddy in some areas but I feel good still.
And off I went for the next 20 miles feeling good. As I made my way back to the area that was so muddy earlier, it was getting real bad now, over ankle deep of mud! Once though all of that and making my way to the backside of the course, I found a pine tree across the trial that wasn't there on my first loop, and it was a big tree! Once again back around to the mud pit. The shoes are feeling like a 10 pound brick by now and I could feel some chafing going on down in the, boys area! So I text my crew and ask them to have my pink top BodyGlide and some Vaseline ready for me at the end of this loop. At the end of 40 miles I was still feeling good but know my goal time was out the door with all the mud.
 |
| End of 40 miles |
 |
| Chafing sucks! |
I was starting to feel a little tired at the end of 40 miles with all the mud out there but the mind was still 100% in the game! I picked up my headlight and jacket for the next 20 miles being it would be way dark before making it back in, off I go. Not to long after leaving on the 3 lap I had to stop and take off both socks and shoes to get all the mud out! The feet were looking good still, no blisters! Socks and shoes back on and off I go. My pace at this time was slower then I was hoping for but still good. As I made my way back to the mud pit from hell, my left foot was not liking what I was doing to it. As I made my way to the backside of the course, my left foot was starting to get real pissed at me and I was now at a walk. It's crazy just how fast the wheel can start to feel like they are coming off to came off and ran over you!. I started to do the math as to the time cutoffs, did like what I was coming up with! But I was still in the game, not by much! So I was giving it all I could and burning up the trail at a 20min mile pace! I know that if I couldn't make 50 miles in 15 hours my game day was over. I had 3 miles to get to 50 and 1 hour to do it in! Should be easy being I did my first 50 mile race in 12 hours 30 mins. But I'm sure if you do the math you know what is going to happen to my game day, I made it to 50 miles at 15 hours 3 mins! I wanted to lay down and cry at this point. To be out in the woods all by yourself and have your game day come to an end, there are no words that can say the feelings that come over you. After I had a little talk with myself, I still had 10 more miles to the Park Road aid station before I told myself I would pull the plug. This was the hardest 10 miles I have ever done. Once I made it to the Park Road aid station I text my crew and ask them to met me there. And without even saying why, they new. When my crew got there I told them its over I'm pulling the plug, can"t make the 30hr cutoff. So I ended up dropping at mile 56. It wasn't what I wanted to do but it was the smart thing to do. There will be other 100 mile race to do, life does go on even after a DNF. I will be back next year for the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler you can count on that!
I would like to Thank my crew for all there hard work!
Tammy, Todd, Russell, Zach & John
I'm sorry guys for letting yall down!
After getting home and cleaned up I did find blisters on the bottom of my left foot and on the outside of it also from walking on it's side.
Until next time, stay safe out there!
Team Constanzo
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