Pacers, Crews, and the Spirit of Ultras: Are We Losing Something?

Training tips specific to the tail-end heroes of the Ultra universe . If you haven't had a moment to do so yet , please consider heading over to your favorite podcast app , maybe the one you're listening on right now Hit , follow , rate the show and , if you're getting something of value , make sure you leave a review and let others know .

My name is Richard Gleave . I have been running ultras since 2017 . I have taken on and finished numerous ultra distances , all the way up through 220 miles , and I am unashamedly a member of the back of the pack , just like many of you .

Now , today , I want to dig into a topic that's been kind of rattling around a bit in my mind for a while now , and it's something that actually seems to be coming up more and more in the ultra world as I peruse the interwebs , and that is specifically about the role of pacers and crews in ultra running .

Crews in ultra running how they're shaping our races , how they're shaping our experiences and whether , just maybe , we're losing a little something important along the way you are . This is the Choose to Endure Ultra Running Podcast With your host he's English , not Australian Richard Gleave

. If you've been paying attention at big races lately Cocodona , moab , western States you'll know exactly what I'm talking about Massive crews , crew villages at aid stations , multiple paces , rotating shifts , tents , supplies , massive logistical operations at every checkpoint .

Honestly , it's actually pretty impressive and it really does go to show how seriously people are taking these events . And for some , especially if you're one of those chasing a win or goals , it's completely necessary . You need efficiency , you need support , you need those extra 1% edges wherever you can find them .

But as I looked through some of those , it did make me wonder are we unintentionally creating two versions of ultra running One where you're self-sufficient , moving through the miles with everything you need basically strapped to your back , and one where you're essentially part of a moving team with pit crews keeping you on track at all times at all times ?

Is the spirit of solo problem solving and battling yourself getting lost somewhere in this huge logistics race ? Now , speaking for myself , I don't usually have the luxury of a crew . It's just not practical for me .

I don't tend to have a team that can fly out or drop everything at work to come camp out for a few days while I chase finish lines , because it takes me a while to get there .

Usually I think too , the guilt I'd feel proactively asking anyone to give up their time and family to come support me , and the worry I would feel , you know , wondering how they're doing and making sure I'm where I need to be for them at the appropriate time . That all seems to me anyway a little bit overwhelming .

But even if I did have somebody reach out and volunteer , I genuinely don't know whether or not I would choose to race that way , because for me the whole magic of ultra running has always been about facing the course and myself alone .

The beauty has always been in the challenge , in wondering how am I going to get through this and then somehow often messy , often ugly finding a way to keep going forwards

. Now , before you say anything , don't get me wrong here . I have absolutely benefited from the kindness of strangers and other racers . Those moments where you link up with another runner at mile 70 , mile 140 , suddenly you're pulling each other through some really dark patches .

Those moments are absolute gold and I certainly won't turn those down if they happen , but they've always happened by chance , organically not for me , anyway , because I planned for somebody else to pick me up . The race is , whichever race it is , for me has always been about the conversation between my mind , my body and the trail .

Now , that's not to say cruise and paces aren't incredibly valuable or even essential in some contexts . In fact , they can be absolutely and genuinely life-saving Absolutely and genuinely life-saving . In dangerous conditions , things like extreme heat , freezing nights , terrible terrain . A good crew or a smart pacer can literally save a life .

They can catch the things you might miss in your own fog of exhaustion . And there's something I think really powerful about sharing your journey with others . It's not just about suffering alone . Ultra running , at its best anyway , is about connection too . How many times have we talked about that on the podcast ?

Hiring sunrises after brutal nights getting hammered by a fierce storm on a beach in the outer banks , handing your soul essentially over to somebody you trust to keep you moving forwards .

Crossing that finish line becomes not just a personal victory but a really intense shared experience , something you did together , something you survived together and something to talk about and refer back to long into the future .

And if your reason for running is simply to be in nature to move freely , to experience the world in a deeper way , then really , whether you do it solo or you're surrounded by friends , it doesn't actually change the heart of that experience , which is really cool For a lot of people . I totally understand .

Having crew and paces actually enhances that connection with the outdoors , with the journey and with each other , and that is fantastic . There's also a strategic side of all this . If you're chasing a specific goal let's say you're shooting to break 24 hours at 100 miler having a strong crew and well-planned paces

can be a critical part of that plan . They can keep you efficient , they can keep your stops tight , they can keep your nutrition on point , they can really keep you moving when your brain just wants to sit down in that chair and quit . Now , in those moments , a crew or a pacer isn't just comfort .

It's part of the performance equation and that , I think , is a legitimate , smart use of every tool available to you . There's definitely no shame in racing hard and using help strategically . But like everything in life , there is another side to it .

Not everyone has access to a big crew or even , as in my case , any crew at all , and when the field is split between those who have rolling support teams and those who are carrying their own world on their back , it can start to feel a little , shall we say , unequal Not unfair necessarily , just a little different . And it does raise a bigger question .

And it does raise a bigger question when we start relying too heavily on others to get us to the finish of these big races . Do we lose a little bit of that raw experience that makes ultra running so transformative ? Do we rob ourselves of the messy , beautiful , brutal lessons that come from truly being alone out there ?

Interestingly and this one really stuck with me too I recently read that the Vol State 500 , one of Lazarus Lake's races , banned crews moving forwards . Now , if you know anything about Laz , you've heard of the Barclay Marathons , right , you know he is a stickler for preserving the purity

of the challenge . What I read was that the change was made in order to bring Vol State back to its roots . It was getting a little out of hand , so what they wanted to do was come back to self-reliance and the solo struggle Finding your way with no safety net , nothing really , but your own grit .

I think that's a pretty bold move , and from such a respected race as well , it says a lot about where some quite respectable people think the heart of ultra running still belongs . So for me , when I sign up for a race , I'm not signing up for comfort , I'm not signing up for any kind of guarantee of success . I get that .

I'm signing up for a question who will I be when everything goes wrong ? When I'm sitting in the aid station chair crying into my 15th hummus tortilla wrap , when my leg sees up , when I can't eat , when it's mile 230 and I haven't slept for two days , when I'm hallucinating gorillas waving at me from the shadows on a trail ? That's the battle I'm there for .

Who am I ? That's the moment that strips away everything else , all the ego , all the plans , all the pace charts , all the expectations . It ends up being just me against myself . But and I'll say this just as loudly that doesn't mean every runner has to approach it the same way I do , and I totally get that .

Some people are out there for the sunrise , for the forests , for the shared journey , for the laughs at the aid stations , for the love of moving across beautiful landscapes with people they care about , and I do those things too . I'm not saying I don't those things are equally valid , but just different reasons , different races , different rewards .

At the end of the day , it's about finding meaning in the miles , whatever that means for you . So I'd love to hear what you think about this topic . Am I way off base ? Have you raced solo ? Have you used paces ? Have you had an epic crew experience that changed everything for you ?

Maybe you felt that subtle difference between running for yourself and running alongside others ? Shoot me a DM on Instagram or Facebook . I'd love to hear your story and maybe , just maybe , I might share it in a future episode . While you're out browsing the internet there , don't forget to subscribe to the show .

That way , you'll get notified each time a new episode drops and if you're enjoying what you hear , please , please , follow , share and leave a review again . That would would mean the world . Your support helps grow . The podcast connects more runners to this amazing ultra community and spreads the word to those who could benefit from what we're sharing here .

You can find us on Instagram and Facebook at ChooseToEndure , or visit anytime at ChooseToEndurecom and go check out the blogs . I'd love to hear from you whether it's to say hello , suggest a topic or share your story . You can also email me directly at info at choosetoeenjoycom .

Interacting with listeners like you is one of my favorite parts of doing this show , so definitely don't be shy about reaching out . So until next time , run long , run strong . Think about what it means to run solo or run with a crew and keep choosing to endure .