angeles crest 100 mile endurance run

Most of the time as runners, we’re focused on the training plans, the miles we need to run, the fuel, clothes, shoes, weather, post-race euphoria…

Somewhere along the lines we forget the races we’re training for don’t just happen automatically by the wave of someone’s magic racing wand. Planning, organizing, figuring out the logistics, and everything else race directors deal with, are all things, we as participants, don’t see. It’s about us! But, no. Running in the race is the easy part.

I’ve volunteered for quite a few races. It’s something I enjoy and would probably do more often if I didn’t want to run the races.

Volunteering is just one aspect of being a better runner. We’re supporting other runners. What we put out, we get back in return. At least that’s what I believe. We’re also helping the races go on. Without volunteers we’d be searching for our own bibs, picking out our own shirts, getting our own water…without volunteers we’d be on our own. It’d be chaos, right?

Angeles Crest is one of the few 100 mile races in Southern California, and one of the most popular. Scott Jurek even ran his first 100 mile race at Angeles Crest. Back in June, I emailed Ken Hamada, race director for the AC100, regarding volunteering.

Ken emailed me back and got me connected to Jeff who would facilitate the communication about volunteering during race weekend.

Early morning of August 2nd, I drove out to Millard Campground in Altadena near mile 95 with my sis and our mom.

By the time we arrived, the race had already been going on for 24 hours and only 25 runners passed through. Based on the communications between Millard and other stations, there were around 75 more runners out on the course. Whoa! For some reason, I kept thinking we weren’t going to get many runners coming through but turns out, the bulk of them were still out there.

However, quickly I was doing the math in my head. That only adds up to 100 runners. I checked the race list and there were 268 registered. What happened to the other 168 people?!

Everything was set up since Bob, the station captain, and Jeff, had been there for most of the 24 hours since the race started. The father-daughter duo who were manning the HAM radios and technical aspects were also there that whole time. Along with a few other volunteers, we were ready to help out.

Not long after we got there, runners started to arrive. Actually the first couple of hours there was a lot of waiting and down time. A TV monitor was set up, and I wish I took a photo of it. It had a live feed from a camera set up on the trail. When we saw a runner on the monitor, we could look over to the path and 3 seconds later, see the runner coming through. It was a great heads up and I’ve never seen this before in any race! Maybe it’s quite common in 100 milers, but this was my very first 100 mile race I got to be a part of, and it was very cool to see.

I could have volunteered at other earlier stations, but I specifically chose this one for a few reasons. One of them being, people have been going for 95 miles!! What do they look like after 95 miles? What are they feeling after 95 miles? What stories do they have after 95 miles?

Without having been a participant (yet), I got the feel what they were going through, but of course, really didn’t. Nobody knows the true pain, either physical or mental, until their in it. We only get a snapshot. The surface shot.

As they trickled in, people talked about how tired they were, about their broken shoes that were brand new, blisters, feeling like they were running on sandpaper, how someone took an hour long nap up at Mt. Wilson, the heat, bicycle riders that caused a few issues, and the number one question, how much further to the end?

Some runners looked downright haggard and exhausted, but some, and I remember this one particular woman, absolutely looked like she went out for a fun leisurely 5K run. I have no doubt she was tired, but you wouldn’t tell by looking at her. She held it very well.

But no matter how exhausted they were, or how eager (or not eager) they were to get out of that aid station (some runners skipped us altogether and went straight for the finish line), every single person who passed through said thank you. Every single one.

Some items we served them was: watermelon (which was extremely popular), potato chips, M&M’s, saltines with jelly, brownies, Coca-Cola, Ginger Ale (which we luckily had in the car and offered to give, since early on, runners requested it and the station didn’t have any), Gatorade, CarboPro, water, and ice, ice baby! Besides watermelon, ice was THE most popular item. Ice in their hydration packs, handhelds, in their bandanas, in their hats, in the cup with Coke or Ginger Ale,…ice was the word. It was hot.

At times, I ran down to meet the runner walking up to the station seeing they don’t have a pacer around them. There were a few solo runners and we were so excited to see the first one. “Solo runner!” we yelled.

We ended the day waiting for the last two runners out on the course. One of them did not meet the final cut off time and dropped when he reached Millard. The other one suffered a fall and some disorientation out the course and was transported to the finish line to receive medical care. He is a legend in the AC100 race, having completed 27 of them making him a legacy runner.

Spending 7 hours helping these runners was an absolute joy, and very tiring. It can be tough waiting around for 45 minutes to an hour just to see one person come through, but every single second was so worth it. I loved seeing all these runners as gracious as they were, in the state they were in, with the fatigue they were fighting. It was frightening and yet, so very inspiring.

Next year, I plan on going back to AC100 to volunteer, and will probably continue to volunteer, until the day I run it.

Please consider volunteering at one of your local races. Your race director will love you. The participants will be thankful. And you will feel so awesome for giving back to a community that gives so much to us. It’s the least we can do.

Thank you for reading and Happy Running!