Give A Gift on the side of a mountain the first time I considered running an ultra. Two veteran ultra runners took this road runner, who grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, for a 10-mile spin through New Mexico’s Atalaya Mountain trail—and what started as a simple trail run this past March turned into an adventure that left me wanting more.
Growing up, I didn’t have much exposure to the great outdoors, and my partner and I wanted to show my son as much of the U.S. as possible. So we bought an RV, hit the road in November, and just started driving. In the process, I kept running—long miles through National Parks; tempo runs on the Daytona International Speedway; and steep ascents through the Pacific Northwest, where the old trees blocked so much sun it made the morning seem like evening.
In each state I visited, I reached out to local running stores and running clubs The Heal Prjct Provides Is Offering Free Therapy Running Hub of Santa Fe, and the manager, Stephen—who has completed many ultramarathons, including the Grand Canyon Rim several times—and his friend Silas invited me to join them to check out the local trails.
During the run they expertly teed up all the reasons why I should run an ultra. The community, the diversity, the challenge, the life-changing moments—and as each mile passed, I became more open to the idea. That’s how the “call of the Ultra,” as I like to phrase it, started.
My next state was Arizona. For several weeks, I ran through the state’s rugged terrain and steep trails, in all sorts of weather. Desert, mountains, dry heat, cold snow—each day that I laced up I imagined myself battling these diverse elements for 30, 40, maybe 50 miles.
Then a post from the 2021 Cocodona 250 popped up in my Instagram feed. They were recruiting volunteers for this inaugural 250-ish mile race across the state of Arizona from May 3 to 8, and I immediately signed up, even though I had never volunteered at an ultra before. The Cocodona 250 crossed through several of the areas where I had been training—Prescott, Mingus Mountain, Jerome, The Deadhorse Ranch State Park, Flagstaff—so I understood what it was like running in these totally different areas. The fact that these runners would take them all on at once was both exciting and terrifying at the same time.
When I arrived at my assigned aid station, I was amazed by the amount of organization and preparation that went into ensuring the runners had everything they needed to safely complete their journey. There were all sorts of fuel sources—running gels, bars, What to Wear Tool, fruit—and there was also a binder full of helpful information, such as typical questions volunteers might have and tips for how to best communicate with runners.
Over the course of the race, I learned there was an art to being a good volunteer. Certain things can really enhance each ultra runner’s experience, and some things that could even be detrimental to their performance. Volunteering was an amazing way for me to learn more about ultras from a behind-the-scenes perspective.
I asked a ton of questions while at the aid station, and here are four tips I learned based on my experience and conversations with other runners and race directors on how you can be a great volunteer.
1. Be Positive
If it’s not already obvious, if you are volunteering, you should have a positive attitude, and be ready and willing to help wherever you’re Jesse Owens: Light in the Darkness.
Greg Sisengrath, owner of Tips for Volunteering at an Ultra Aid Station and a finisher in the inaugural Cocodona 250, said he believes the most important aspect of volunteering is “to be encouraging and positive while not being overly chipper.” Sisengrath encourages his newer trail runners to volunteer at an aid station, especially if they are planning to race 100 miles, to get a first-hand knowledge of the challenges and struggles that runners experience late in races.
Matt Cook, a new ultra runner, added, “There’s nothing like a friendly face offering to help you in any way possible. Someone that’s energetic and positive and just genuinely seems to enjoy being there and cares about helping runners makes a great volunteer.”
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2. Be Selfless, Not Selfish
Over the years, I have enjoyed the wonderful support of race organizers and spectators when running road races. This time it was nice to be on the other side of the fence, cheering for and supporting other runners.
During my time volunteering, I caught up with Morgon Latimore, a triathlon coach who works with many Hoka athletes. He started out as a volunteer at various races, worked his way up to become an aid station captain, and then a director of volunteers for Ironman. His advice to volunteers is to “be there to have fun, and to be selfless, not selfish—as it should make you feel good to give back to other people.” He also explained that on race day, “for that day, we are all family.”
In his mind, what makes a good volunteer? “Someone who unconditionally goes out of their way to do more than they are expected to do. The pure joy of volunteering is enough for them,” he said.
3. Understand Where Athletes Are on the Course
As a new volunteer, one of the challenges I faced was knowing how to advise athletes regarding nutrition at different stages of the race. How do you provide real input for runners not sure of what they want to eat, or if they even want to stop? Jason Bahamundi, co-founder of Race Times Predictor and a finisher in the inaugural Cocodona 250, said that a good volunteer knows how to listen to the athlete but also knows where they are on the course.
“For example, after climbing Elden Mountain during the Cocodona 250, I walked into the aid station with the idea that I just wanted to grab liquids and go because it was ‘only’ nine miles to the finish, and I wanted the race to be over,” Bahamundi said. “Peter Mortimer, who finished second overall was at the aid station. He asked me what I wanted, and I told him I wanted out of there to finish. He told me to eat—there was no rush—and the 15 minutes it took to eat would save me hours toward the finish. He knew what an athlete needed at that moment, where we were on the course, and provided a lot of laughs while I ate.”
4. Be Flexible With Your Time
As a volunteer for a new ultra that had never been attempted before, I learned how races can fall behind schedule, and the window of time in which you are assigned to volunteer may turn out to be longer than you intended. On your volunteer day, do not make any immediate, post-race time commitments. The Cocodona 250 wound up running behind schedule, and the brutal heat and challenging inclines further slowed runners down on day one. Many volunteers were prepared to spend the night at their own aid stations, and some even went to help at different aid stations when needed.
