TORONTO October 6th 2015. Digital Champion Rebecca Wemyss started running in 2009 when she moved to Ottawa and wanted to find something to do. She quickly found running was a great way to make new friends and completed her first marathon last year. Rebecca is inspired to be a better runner by her son who frequently yells “Mom, come on, go faster!” When she’s not running, Rebecca is a high school teacher and track coach with the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club. Connect with Rebecca on Twitter, Instagram and her blog.
The Importance of a Support Crew on Race Day. By Rebecca Wemyss.
Originally I wanted to title this post “what 
happens when things go wrong” as I’ve had a very problematic running season. I’ve been on the sidelines for much of the summer because of an ongoing lower left leg issue. Because my injury is taking awhile to heal, I’ve had to make a switch and change my race to the half marathon. Fellow STWM Digital Champion, Jess, wrote a great post in July about what happens when you get injured. Like Jess, I’ve been going through many emotions during this time: anger, frustration, disappointment and envy whenever I see someone out running. However, I am trying to turn a negative into a positive by attending the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon regardless whether I can run or not. I am determined to have a great time in Toronto doing something that I love: cheering runners on as they head towards the marathon finish line.
If you are an experienced runner, you can probably think of a few races when someone you knew was there for you. You could have been having an awful race, but hearing your name made you forget about the aches and pains for a few moments. Maybe you saw your family, with one kilometre to go, a reminder of how hard you worked to train for the marathon, and an inspiration to sprint to the finish! I remember a cross country race last year involving a high school team that I coached. I stood in the middle of the “big hill” and cheered on every single runner running up the hill. For those runners that I personally knew, I added in some personalized cheers to make them smile. According to my team, it helped them conquer that hill. Every cheer helps.
There are a variety of ways that you can cheer on friends, family or even complete strangers on the big day:
1. Grab a sign and head to the route
Funny running signs can really brighten up the marathon route and make runners laugh and smile while on the course. My own sign (which will be making an appearance at STWM) is a play on a Breaking Bad quote: “You’re done running when I say you’re done” complete with a picture of “Heisenberg”. Noisemakers are also fun! Even if you don’t know anyone on the course, find a runner and look for their name on their bib. Simply shouting a name can totally make a runner’s day
2. Track a runner
For many big races, including STWM, real-time runner tracking is available. This year, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will be using “Real-Time Runner Tracking (RTRT)” as well as Sportstats. With these services, you can easily follow your favourite runner and cheer them on! If you know they’re running with their phone, send them a text message or a tweet as a pick-me-up. When I finished my first marathon, my phone was filled with congratulatory texts and tweets and I was so amazed at how many people were tracking me.
3. Volunteer
Do you want to get as close to the action as you can on race day? Then volunteer! Races do not run themselves and volunteers can help in many different ways. I have volunteered at several different races in the Ottawa area, including Ottawa Race Weekend. Volunteers are needed for water stations, finish line, race expo and kit pickup. You can support runners by providing a few hours of your time to help run the race. In my experience, so many runners say thank you and are so appreciative of volunteers. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is still looking for volunteers. If you are interested, apply here.
4. Extra Support
Besides cheering, you can help runners by providing support on the big day! Can you give a ride to the start or back home after the race? Can you bring warm clothes to greet your family and friends who are running at the finish line? Maybe you can help plan a post-race gathering at the local pub for a celebratory beverage. There are lots of ways to make race day easier for someone who is running. When I run my longer races, my husband and son are usually biking along the route, waiting for me to finish. Last year I had to make an emergency call to my husband after only 1k because I realized I had no sunscreen on and it was a very sunny day. Luckily he was in close range and soon met me with some sunscreen so I could avoid a major burn.
5. Cheer on every last runner
Lastly. if you are running STWM, don’t forget to cheer on your fellow runners once you are done! My plan for October 18th is to finish the half-marathon, grab my Heisenberg sign, and cheer on all my friends completing the marathon! I cannot wait to see everyone’s faces when they reach the finish and realize what an incredible feat they have accomplished. Every last runner deserves as much cheering as possible.
Canada Running Series has made it easy for you to “get your cheer on” at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon! Check out their 2015 STWM Spectator Guide as well as their Interactive RacePoint Map which allows you to predict your favourite runner’s arrival at various locations along the course, according to their estimated finish time. As always, use the hashtag #STWM to share all your race day content via social media and I’ll see you at the finish line!
