This is a fill-in sheet for the people crewing a timed or multiday ultra. Type into it here or print it blank, then give one copy to each crew shift. It replaces guesswork at the table with a few fixed habits: the runner records preferences in advance and crew prepare supplies. Short questions can help, but current choices and medical needs always take priority. For why crews work this way and how to lay out the table, read crew and aid station strategy.
How to Use the Sheet
- The runner fills in Part 2 alone, a week or more before the race and while rested. These are the runner's preferences, which can change during the race. Do not use the sheet to override current consent or medical needs.
- Fill in Part 1 together. Copy crew access rules, cutoffs and where race medical is from the runner manual, not from memory.
- Choose the race format in Part 5. For point-to-point races, work out arrival windows in the crew and drop-bag planner first. Use the gear checklist only for packing.
- Print one copy per crew shift, plus one for the car or the table. Clip Part 4 where everyone on the crew can see it.
- During the race, whoever is on shift writes one line per visit in Part 3 and hands the sheet over at the shift change.
Print sheet sends only the sheet to the printer and fits A4 or Letter. Download my sheet (.txt) saves what you typed as a plain text file. The blank crew sheet PDF has the same parts plus all four format pages, for filling in by hand. Nothing you type is sent anywhere, and Save on this device keeps a copy in your browser only.
The Crew Sheet
Part 1: Crew Brief
| Crew name | Phone | Shift (from - to) |
|---|---|---|
Part 2: Runner Preferences
- I call my order one visit ahead, for example: "Next lap: bottle and soup."
- Crew have it ready; check if I want to change the order.
- If I have not called anything, ask one closed question from the list below, then wait for my answer.
- Give me the time or count I asked for. Save splits, race news and pep talks unless I ask.
- Same as last time, or something different?
- Sweet or salty?
- Bottle swap: yes or no?
- Layer on, or layer off?
- Sit for two minutes, or keep walking?
Part 3: Stop Log
| Lap / yard / stop # | Time in | Time out | Took (food, fluid, caffeine mg) | Next request | Observations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part 4: Red-Flag Card
Heart, breathing and collapse
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness
- Fainting, near-fainting or collapse
- Severe shortness of breath, or a racing or irregular heartbeat that does not settle with rest
Brain and behavior
- New confusion, disorientation, slurred speech or a sudden behavior change
- Hallucinations, or falling asleep while moving
- Declining responsiveness, or a seizure
- Repeated falls, stumbling or loss of coordination
- Severe or worsening headache, especially with nausea or vomiting
Fluids, kidneys and muscles
- Repeated vomiting, or unable to keep fluids down
- Puffy hands or face with weight gain, headache or nausea (a possible sign of overdrinking and low blood sodium)
- Tea- or cola-colored urine, or little or no urine, especially with marked muscle pain or weakness
Temperature and injury
- Unable to keep warm, uncontrollable shivering, or hot and confused
- Rapidly worsening illness, or an injury that changes the runner's gait
- Spreading redness, warmth, pus or fever around a wound or blister
Part 5: Format Page
Shift rota: 24- and 48-hour loop races
- Optional routine-visit target: under 2 minutes. Rest and assessment take priority.
- Planned change (socks, layers, feet): about 8 minutes, called a lap ahead.
- Example stop budget: 12 x 2-minute visits + 2 x 8-minute changes + 20 minutes spare = 1 hour. Add rest as needed.
- 4-hour shifts with a 15-minute overlap at each change. The most rested person takes midnight to 4 AM.
- Handover: last three log lines, the order already called, caffeine so far (time, mg), sleep status, anything unusual.
- Both formats: plan rest opportunities and log actual sleep and wake times.
| Race hours | Clock | Crew on | Handover done (initials) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 h | Add a start time in Part 1 | ||
| 4-8 h | Add a start time in Part 1 | ||
| 8-12 h | Add a start time in Part 1 | ||
| 12-16 h | Add a start time in Part 1 | ||
| 16-20 h | Add a start time in Part 1 | ||
| 20-24 h | Add a start time in Part 1 |
Between-yard countdown: backyard ultras
- With our optional 3-minute corral buffer, base time = 57 minus loop minutes: 45 leaves 12, 50 leaves 7, 55 leaves 2.
- This plan heads for the corral at the 3-minute warning. The rule requires being inside at the bell.
- No personal aid during a yard: everything for the loop leaves base with the runner.
| Clock | Crew does |
|---|---|
| 50:00 (arrival) | Chair out, the called items in hand. Say the minutes left at base. Log time in. |
| First 2 min | Hand over the food and drink they called for. |
| Until 57:00 | Feet or layers only if called. Pack the next loop: bottle, food, light, layer. |
| 57:00 (3-min whistle) | Say "Three minutes." Hand over the packed items. Runner stands up. |
| 58:00 (2-min) | Walk with them toward the corral. Check bottle and light. |
| 59:00 (1-min) | Runner is inside the corral. No more handoffs. |
| 60:00 (bell) | Log time out. Get the next called order ready. |
Check loop times against base time in the backyard ultra calculator.
Crew-car page: point-to-point 100s and 200s
- Copy the earliest and latest ETAs from the crew and drop-bag planner.
- Arrive 30 minutes before the earliest ETA and set out the called order.
- Agree an overdue-runner plan with race HQ. Call sooner if worried; never wait for an arbitrary hour. Do not search the course by car.
- Leave after the runner does. Nobody drives drowsy: swap drivers or nap first.
- Handover script (crew to crew, or to a pacer): time out, what was taken, next order, caffeine so far (time, mg), sleep so far, anything unusual.
Build the arrival windows in the crew and drop-bag planner, then copy them here.
| Crew point | Mile / km | Earliest ETA | Latest ETA | Drive time, parking | Runner called for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Daily foot and sleep log: 6-day races
- Foot check once a day at the same time, after the main sleep: shoes and socks off, both feet, good light.
- Take hot spots and blisters to the race foot-care team the same day, and log what was done.
- Log the sleep that happened, not the plan, and compare it with the sleep plan in Part 2.
- While the runner sleeps, one crew member stays on, alarm set, and wakes them as Part 2 says.
| Day | Sleep: start - wake | Foot check: hot spots, blisters, swelling | Shoes / socks changed | Distance or laps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | |||||
| Day 2 | |||||
| Day 3 | |||||
| Day 4 | |||||
| Day 5 | |||||
| Day 6 |
Format Variants
Parts 1 to 4 work for any race. Part 5 changes with the format, because a loop crew sees the runner every few minutes and a point-to-point crew may wait hours at a trailhead.
24- and 48-Hour Loop Races
For an uncomplicated visit, a walking handoff is one option: the runner called the order a lap ago, the crew holds it out, and the runner keeps moving. Aim for under 2 minutes on a routine visit and about 8 minutes for a planned sock, layer or foot change. That fits the one-hour budget in the 24-hour pacing guide: twelve 2-minute visits, two 8-minute changes and 20 minutes spare. Run the crew in 4-hour shifts with a 15-minute overlap at each change. A 24-hour race is six shifts and a 48 is twelve. Give midnight to 4 AM to the most rested person, and write rest opportunities into the rota for either format. The one-hour stop budget is an example, not a limit on rest or medical care.
Backyard Ultras
The runner must be in the corral at the bell, after warnings at 3, 2 and 1 minutes. Our optional three-minute corral buffer makes planned base time 57 minutes minus the loop time; that buffer is not itself a race rule. A 45-minute loop leaves 12 minutes, 50 leaves 7 and 55 leaves 2. The countdown page tells the crew what to do at each whistle. No personal aid is allowed during a yard, so everything for the next loop leaves base with the runner. Compare loop times and base time in the backyard ultra calculator, and see the backyard ultra race strategy for the runner's side of the same seven minutes.
100- and 200-Mile Point-to-Point Races
Work out arrival windows in the crew and drop-bag planner and copy the earliest and latest times onto the crew-car page. The crew arrives 30 minutes before the earliest time. Agree an overdue-runner procedure with race HQ and call promptly if worried. Do not wait an arbitrary hour or drive the course looking for the runner. The page keeps what the planner doesn't: who drives each leg, and the handover script for crew changes and pacers.
6-Day Races
Over six days the log matters more than any single visit. The daily page records the sleep that actually happened and a foot check at the same time each day, shoes and socks off in good light. Hot spots go to the race foot-care team the same day. See 6-day races explained for how sleep and foot care change across 144 hours, and the sleep strategy guide before writing the sleep plan in Part 2.
Sources
- Hew-Butler, T. et al. (2015) — Statement of the Third International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Development Conference, Carlsbad, California, 2015. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 25(4), 303–320. Symptoms of low blood sodium need clinical assessment, and extra sodium does not make overdrinking safe.
- Bennett, B.L. et al. (2020) — Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia: 2019 Update. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 31(1), 50–62.
- Guilherme, L.Q. et al. (2026) — The Role of Sleep on Physical and Cognitive Performance of Ultra-Endurance Athletes: A Systematic Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 15(4), 1398. The evidence does not support one universal sleep protocol, which is why the sleep plan is the runner's own.
- Kishi, A. et al. (2024) — Sleep and Ultramarathon: Exploring Patterns, Strategies, and Repercussions of 1,154 Mountain Ultramarathons Finishers. Sports Medicine - Open, 10(1), 34.
- Editorial template, reviewed October 23, 2026. Visit timings follow our 24-hour pacing and backyard strategy guides. It is a planning aid, not a medical protocol or a substitute for the event's rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I print or download the crew sheet?
Fill in the fields on this page and choose Print sheet: only the sheet prints, on A4 or Letter. Download my sheet (.txt) saves what you typed as a text file, and the blank PDF is for filling in by hand. Nothing you type is sent anywhere; Save on this device keeps a copy in your browser only.
Is there a backyard ultra version?
Yes. Choose Backyard in Part 5 to print the between-yard countdown. With our optional three-minute corral buffer, time at base is 57 minutes minus loop time; the official rule requires being in the corral at the bell: a 50-minute loop leaves 7 minutes and a 45-minute loop leaves 12.
How many crew do you need?
Two people can cover a 24-hour loop race in six 4-hour shifts, with each getting a long break. For a 48-hour or 6-day race, plan on three, or label the table so the runner can serve themselves while the crew sleeps. A point-to-point 100 or 200 needs at least one rested driver per car.
How much should crew talk during an ultra?
Less than most crews expect. At a routine handoff, give the time or count the runner asked for, hand over what was called, and use a short question when helpful, such as "Sweet or salty?", then wait for the answer. Leave out pep talks, splits and race news unless Part 2 asks for them, and write observations in the log for the next shift.