People who are related to runners are special individuals. When it comes to our running addictions, they often put us before themselves. They wake up at obscene hours of the morning to accompany us to race starts. They stand outside for hours waiting to catch just a 10-second glimpse of us flashing by as we wave and keep forging on. They navigate race maps, carry our stuff and follow our orders to a tee. These are our family members. Our spectators.

My mom is one of these special people.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day today, I thought it was only fitting to share with you (and all those other special souls out there who will be dragged to another race with us very soon) how to be the world’s greatest spectator. Because my mom wins that title.

My mom has been a race spectator since she was 17 years old, traipsing from track meet to track meet with my dad who was an elite athlete. She watched his meets through high school and college, and then started watching meets he coached as a cross country coach in his early professional years. Soon enough, my mom was going to all my middle school and high school track meets and was there for my first marathon in 2010 as well.

Suffice it to say, my mom is a professional spectator.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about endurance sports during the years, it’s that the people on the sidelines often give me the strength to continue. There have been races in which I kept putting one foot in front of the other just because I knew I’d see my family 3 miles later. Expecting someone who loved me to be at miles 2, 6, and 11 of the run portion of a half Ironman kept me motivated to stay on pace. And not having them there can be devastating … mentally and physically.

Although it might sound silly, I promise you that your race-day spectator strategy is just as important as planning what you’re going to eat and drink along the course. It may not help your lungs and legs, but I assure you it will help your mind and heart.

Here are my top 5 tips on how to be the world’s best spectator. Thanks, mom!

1. Have a plan. As a spectator, deciding that you’ll be somewhere “near the halfway point” and “toward the end” is not enough. Create a specific plan with your runner for where you will be. If you are spectating at a large race, consult the spectator plan for recommendations on the best places to view the race and modes of transportation to get from spot to spot. Choose specific places and landmarks where possible, and look at the turns on the course to determine with your runner what side of the road you will be on. For instance, “I’ll be as close to the 8.5-mile mark as possible on the right side of the road, just before mile 16 on the right side of the road, and between miles 23 and 24 on the right side of the road after you pass XYZ landmark.” Avoid being near aid stations where there are half-filled cups of sports drink flying everywhere and lots of chaos.
2. Help your runner see you before you see them. This may not be as difficult for small races, but for races with tens of thousands of runners, it will be much harder for you to spot your runner in a sea of people than it will be for your runner to see you along the sideline. Make it easy for them to spot you early by carrying unique balloons he/she can see from 100+ yards away or other easy-to-spot items like large signs, funky umbrellas, etc. I’ve even seen spectators carrying rafts. During the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon in 2011, my mom held a giant Mardi Gras flag with my name on it so I could easily spot her. (Oppositely, during the Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon in 2011, Mr. rUnladylike let the 3 large balloons he was carrying fly into a tree – it was a windy race – and I only saw him in 1 of the 3 locations where he was standing, which was devastating mentally.) As a spectator, it might feel sort of silly to cart around some gigantic piece of flair, but you and your runner will both be glad you did if it means you see each other!
3. Be mobile. Your runner isn’t the only one getting exercise on race day. You will too if you’re executing your spectator strategy correctly. It will help your runner tremendously to see them in multiple locations along the course (especially for distances like the marathon, half Ironman and Ironman distances). Work with your runner to identify the miles that will be the most challenging for them so you can be there to cheer them on. Try to space out where you will be, and know your runner’s expected pace to ensure you have adequate time to get from one spot to the next. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and running shoes to make getting around easy.
4. Be ready to transform into an aid station. Spectators have to be like jugglers. Ready to take pictures, wave, cheer, shout words of encouragement and distribute necessary race-day items. I like to carry all my own fuel and hydration during races, and it really helps to have my spectator ready to hand me a new bottle of liquid or to have an extra Honey Stinger gel ready just in case something goes wrong. As a spectator, be ready to hand your runner anything they shout out they need, and be prepared to grab clothing or other materials your runner may decide to shed while they see you.
5. Make the weekend about the runner. Even if you’re traveling to a race and it’s meant to be a racecation, until the day after the race, every day until then should be about your runner. What they want to eat, how much they do or don’t want to walk, how much time they want to sit in the hotel room, etc. Don’t add extra stress to your runner’s mind by making them feel like you wish you were doing something else or pushing them to get one extra activity in the day before the race. My mom is a pro at this. It’s my very favorite thing about her as a spectator because she is completely selfless. After the race is over, you can make sure your runner dotes on you.

Who are your favorite spectators? What other race and marathon spectator tips do you have to help someone be the world’s greatest spectator?