Ahmanson 12k - My First Time Volunteering at a Race
Three weekends ago I volunteered at the first ever Ahmanson 12k put on by Trail Run Events. A relatively short 7.45-mile trail race in West Hills, CA.
I reached out to the race director before my injury because I wanted to meet new people. But after I got hurt, I really wanted to get out of the house to a running event, even though at the time I wasn't sure if I was still going to be able to run my marathon. By the time he race came around, I had no hopes of running LA and it was great to hear from people who were going to be running and wish them luck.
It was very, very early when we arrived at the trail head. Thankfully, the race director had two jugs of Starbucks coffee for us sleepy volunteers. The sun started rising, I ate a Clif bar and finally woke up just enough to start checking in runners at 7am.
The runners had a lot of energy and were all really excited to be there. By 7:30 we could tell it was going to be a hot day. We handed out a few waters to people who had not brought hydration, but for the most part everyone seemed prepared. We answered questions about other Trail Run Events events (ha) and made sure we had emergency contact information for all the runners. Not very interesting stuff really, but it was great to see and talk to so many participants.
One great thing about this race was that t-shirts were handed out after the race. The idea was that the runners wouldn't have to find somewhere to put their shirt since parking wasn't nearby. This sounds like a small thing, but SO many runners appreciated this. I remember at least once getting my shirt post-race, but most of the time I have picked up my shirt with my bib at check-in and my lovely husband has held on to it for me. I would like to see post-race-t-shirt-distribution as the new trend!
A couple stragglers were still coming in at 8am (race time) and we got them their bibs and they joined the others. The gun went off at 8:15, about 15 minutes behind schedule, and it was HOT. I wasn't able to see the course from the trailhead, but the runners went up, up, up a hill and were out of sight.
During the race, the volunteers and I cut up fruit, mixed Gatorade and set up the t-shirt tables while we chatted about running and racing and life. We cut up bananas, cantaloupe and bagels. The race director even had cream cheese for the bagels! No one had ever seen that at a race before! O_o
I was truly touched by the other volunteers' interest in my and each other's running and racing. I got to share a little about my injury and what I hoped to do later in the year. It was a display of camaraderie I hadn't previously experienced, since I always run alone and don't really have running friends.
The first runners started coming in with the first finisher doing so in 45:52. An incredible time! Everyone was hot, hot, hot. Too hot to get t-shirts. Lol. But the hydration and carbs were much needed and appreciated by all. There were so many thank-yous from the runners to the volunteers and it felt really special not just to hear that you're appreciated but to know that you were truly doing a good job and that it wasn't going unnoticed.
Finally the t-shirt table picked back up and that's when I got to see and speak to every single participate. THAT was cool. People asked me if I ran and invited me to their running groups, wished me well, and thanked me for being there volunteering.
By 10am we were packing everything up and eating the leftover bagels. Nom nom nom. What an incredibly rewarding experience. I didn't expect it, really. But I can't wait to do it again! and even moreso, I can't wait to run one of their events!
I reached out to the race director before my injury because I wanted to meet new people. But after I got hurt, I really wanted to get out of the house to a running event, even though at the time I wasn't sure if I was still going to be able to run my marathon. By the time he race came around, I had no hopes of running LA and it was great to hear from people who were going to be running and wish them luck.
It was very, very early when we arrived at the trail head. Thankfully, the race director had two jugs of Starbucks coffee for us sleepy volunteers. The sun started rising, I ate a Clif bar and finally woke up just enough to start checking in runners at 7am.
The runners had a lot of energy and were all really excited to be there. By 7:30 we could tell it was going to be a hot day. We handed out a few waters to people who had not brought hydration, but for the most part everyone seemed prepared. We answered questions about other Trail Run Events events (ha) and made sure we had emergency contact information for all the runners. Not very interesting stuff really, but it was great to see and talk to so many participants.
One great thing about this race was that t-shirts were handed out after the race. The idea was that the runners wouldn't have to find somewhere to put their shirt since parking wasn't nearby. This sounds like a small thing, but SO many runners appreciated this. I remember at least once getting my shirt post-race, but most of the time I have picked up my shirt with my bib at check-in and my lovely husband has held on to it for me. I would like to see post-race-t-shirt-distribution as the new trend!
A couple stragglers were still coming in at 8am (race time) and we got them their bibs and they joined the others. The gun went off at 8:15, about 15 minutes behind schedule, and it was HOT. I wasn't able to see the course from the trailhead, but the runners went up, up, up a hill and were out of sight.
During the race, the volunteers and I cut up fruit, mixed Gatorade and set up the t-shirt tables while we chatted about running and racing and life. We cut up bananas, cantaloupe and bagels. The race director even had cream cheese for the bagels! No one had ever seen that at a race before! O_o
I was truly touched by the other volunteers' interest in my and each other's running and racing. I got to share a little about my injury and what I hoped to do later in the year. It was a display of camaraderie I hadn't previously experienced, since I always run alone and don't really have running friends.
The first runners started coming in with the first finisher doing so in 45:52. An incredible time! Everyone was hot, hot, hot. Too hot to get t-shirts. Lol. But the hydration and carbs were much needed and appreciated by all. There were so many thank-yous from the runners to the volunteers and it felt really special not just to hear that you're appreciated but to know that you were truly doing a good job and that it wasn't going unnoticed.
Finally the t-shirt table picked back up and that's when I got to see and speak to every single participate. THAT was cool. People asked me if I ran and invited me to their running groups, wished me well, and thanked me for being there volunteering.
By 10am we were packing everything up and eating the leftover bagels. Nom nom nom. What an incredibly rewarding experience. I didn't expect it, really. But I can't wait to do it again! and even moreso, I can't wait to run one of their events!
