Tips and tricks for a successful volunteer shift
Team Captains
Your Team Captain has contacted you by now with training information and information about your volunteer shift, including when to be there and what you’ll be doing. If you have registered to volunteer for more than one day, then more than one Captain might contact you. If you’re not available for your assigned shift please let your team captain know as soon as possible.
Responsibilities
Your Captain has emailed you a volunteer manual with your duties and a map of your area. If you have any questions, please contact your Captain.
Clothing
Typical Vancouver weather and temperatures may change throughout the day. Please be prepared with comfortable and durable shoes and by dressing in layers. Be sure to wear the provided volunteer shirt during your shift as it identifies you to runners.
Personal belongings
Please pack light and keep valuables with you at all times. We recommend that you leave devices like iPads, iPods and cameras at home. The Vancouver International Marathon Society and BMO Vancouver Marathon event are not responsible for lost or stolen items on race day.
Check in/equipment
On race day, please arrive early to your area and meet your captain at an agreed upon spot. For those volunteering at the Start, Finish or Expo allow for extra travel time due to increased traffic and delays.
Your Team Captain will pick up all supplies and equipment for your area.
Meals
All volunteers will receive a lunch. Depending on your area/role, you will either receive a gift card or a bagged lunch. Consider bringing a few extra snacks to keep you going all day.
Additional information
All Volunteers are required to register online before the event. Non-registered volunteers will be prohibited from starting their shift unless registered. Certificates of participation will be offered to those volunteers who indicated their desire to receive the certificate online.
Thank you for reading and welcome to the 2014 BMO Vancouver Marathon Volunteer Crew! See you out there!
Glossary of Running Terms
Not a runner? Get familiar with these handy runner terms and you’ll sound just like the pros on race day!
Racing Terms
Pace bunny: runners wearing bunny ears who will complete the race in a set time, guiding others with the same goal across the finish line. (ex: 4:00 hr Marathon)
Chip Time: a runner’s finish time that is measured by their timing chip, which is attached to their bib. Timing chips are synced with blue mats at the start and finish lines.
Gun Time: a runner’s finish time that is measured by the official race start (gun) and the moment they cross the finish line. (Often used by elite runners).
PB or PR: Personal Best or Personal Record
Hitting the Wall: Typically around 20 miles, some runners experience depleted energy levels, especially if they lack nutrition during their race.
Bonk: a dizzy feeling, sometimes accompanied by a headache; caused by extremely low blood sugar
Run the tangents: when runners cover the shortest distance between two points, usually around a corner or curve.
Kick: finishing sprint
Racing flat: a lightweight running shoe for races and/or speed workouts.
Lead Vehicle: the car or bicycle that leads the race.
Sweep: typically a bicycle used to follow the final runner in a race.
Nutrition Terms
Gel/energy gel: a toothpaste-like substance with electrolytes and sugars that is easier to digest than whole foods.
Electrolytes: crucial salts that are lost during exercise and replenished through drinks like Nuun
Carbo-loading: a pre-race diet of mostly complex carbohydrates that increases energy stores
Bladder System: a bag of water carried in a backpack with a tube for drinking
Fuel Belt: a runner’s belt with pockets to carry bars, gels or water bottles
Training Terms
Cool Down: an easy run after an intense workout
Long Run (or LSD-Long Slow Distance): the longest run of a training week, often performed once per week.
Tempo or Tempo Run: a fast training run.
Fartlek: fast running mixed with slow running
Intervals or Speed-work: short sprint intervals with recovery jogs in between.
Tapering: closer to race day, runners reduce their mileage in preparation
Negative Split: to run the second half of a race or training run faster than the first half.
General Terms
Master Runners: runners who are over 40 years of age.
Stitch: a sharp pain or cramp in the abdomen
Shin splints: pain in the lower leg, focused on the front of the leg or shin.
Runner’s knee: knee pain due to a muscular imbalance (usually a weak inner thigh)
Splits: a runner’s time at a specific point in the race
Supination: a term for when the foot rolls outwards while running
Pronation: a term for when the foot rolls inwards while running
Pace: a runner’s pace is different than their speed in that pace is expressed as time over distance (minutes per km or minutes per mile)
Speed: expressed as distance over time (12km / hour)