Dear Volunteer,
Thank you for offering to help! Please share these instructions with all others on your team.
VOLUNTEER LOCATIONS:
We need volunteers at various locations:
- Friday, May 26 -- SHF's office in Arlington, then out to Locks 5, 7, 10
- Assemble aid station bins
- 1 table
- 2 chairs
- 1 tent
- 1 filled five-gallon cooler for water
- 1 filled five-gallon cooler for Gatorade
- 1 canister of Gatorade powder (makes 5 gallons of drink)
- 1 two-piece stir stick
- 2 food handling gloves
- 5 five-gallon filled water jugs
- 1 bin containing a sleeve of 400 paper cups
- 1 first-aid kit
- One sturdy rope
- Deliver these provisions to Locks 10, 7, and 5
- Friday, May 26 -- Georgetown Running Company,
3401 M Street NW, Washington DC -- Our tasks here:
- 2:45 PM to 6:30 PM -- Set up and staff pre-race packet pick-up to distribute bib numbers affixed to timing chips, t-shirts, and goodie bags; also accept late registrations and key-enter them into our start list on Webscorer
Instructions for ALL aid stations
- Untie the rope to re-use after the race is over
- Open the tent, being careful with your fingers
- Open the table
- Assemble the two-piece stir stick
- Wearing the food-handling glove, mix the entire package of Gatorade powder into the eight-gallon orange cooler and stir hard to dissolve all the powder
- Pour 100 paper cups of water and 100 paper cups of Gatorade -- be prepared to replenish the cups
- Please start with the already-opened packages of paper cups
- Set up trash bags at 10 meters, 20 meters, and 30 meters both above your lock and below your lock
- Saturday, May 27 -- Fletcher's Cove,
4940 Canal Road NW, Washington DC -- Our tasks here:
- 8:00 AM to 8:45 AM -- Set up and staff race-day packet pick-up to distribute bib numbers affixed to timing chips, t-shirts, and goodie bags
- 8:00 AM to 8:45 AM -- Set up and serve pre-race storage of personal belongings
- 8:00 AM to 8:45 AM -- Set up and serve pre-race refreshments -- Water & Gatorade
- 8:00 AM to 8:45 AM -- Set up start line
- 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM -- Set up and staff finish line to record order and time of finish, collect timing chips, distribute medals, and provide aid as needed
- 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM -- Set up and serve post-race refreshments at Lock 5, Lock 7, Lock 10, and the finish back at Fletcher's cove
- 10:15 AM to 1:00 PM -- Serve retrieval of personal belongings
- 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM -- Present DJ music by Bach to Rock McLean
- 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM -- Clean up to leave the campground cleaner than we found it
- Saturday, May 27 --
Lock 5
- 8:15 AM to 8:30 AM -- Arrive at Lock 5, find the provisions listed above, and follow the instructions above
- 9:05 AM to 12:30 PM -- Serve on-course refreshments -- Water & Gatorade
- Watch to see who are last 10 runners to pass your station outbound
- When you see the first of the 10 coming back, you may start breaking down your aid station
- Please keep the table open to provide wter and Gatorade for the last runner
- 12:00 noon -- Wash off the stir stick and CAREFULLY dissemble it
- 12:00 noon -- Empty and thoroughly rinse the Gatorade cooler and its top with water
- 12:00 noon -- Empty any partially-filled water jugs buth keep intact any fully-filled and unused water jugs
- 12:20 PM -- Clean up everything to leave the campground cleaner than we found it -- CAREFULLY fold tent and table -- you can stack trashed empty cups to save space
- Re-tie everything up with the rope
- 12:25 PM -- Our drivers pick up all provisions -- please help them
- Saturday, May 27 --
Lock 7
- 8:15 AM to 8:30 AM -- Arrive at Lock 7, find the provisions listed above, and follow the instructions above
- Untie the rope to re-use after the race is over
- 9:10 AM to 12:15 PM -- Set up and serve on-course refreshments -- Water & Gatorade
- Watch to see who are last 10 runners to pass your station outbound
- When you see the first of the 10 coming back, you may start breaking down your aid station
- Please keep the table open to provide wter and Gatorade for the last runner
- 12:15 PM -- Clean up everything to leave the campground cleaner than we found it -- CAREFULLY fold tent and table -- you can stack trashed empty cups to save space
- Re-tie everything up with the rope
- 12:20 PM -- Our drivers pick up all provisions -- please help them
- Saturday, May 27 --
Lock 10
- 8:15 AM to 8:30 AM -- Arrive at Lock 10, find the provisions listed above, and follow the instructions above
- 9:15 AM to 12:00 noon -- Set up and serve on-course refreshments -- Water & Gatorade
- Watch to see who are last 10 runners to pass your station outbound
- When you see the first of the 10 coming back, you may start breaking down your aid station
- Please keep the table open to provide wter and Gatorade for the last runner
- 12:10 PM -- Clean up everything to leave the campground cleaner than we found it -- CAREFULLY fold tent and table -- you can stack trashed empty cups to save space
- Re-tie everything up with the rope
- 12:15 PM -- Our drivers pick up all provisions -- please help them
- Saturday, May 27 --
Turnaround Point
- 9:00 AM -- Find the turnaround cones -- the west-end point on
this map
-- see description of WEST TURNAROUND on
the USATF-certified course map
- 9:15 AM to 11:00 AM -- Staff turnaround point until last half-marathon runner makes the turnaround
- Then please return the cones to Jay at Fletcher's Cove
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
Fletcher's Cove is accessible from Clara Barton Parkway WESTBOUND (away from DC) and EASTBOUND (towards DC)
Fletcher's Cove is accessible from Key Bridge (turn left at the north end of the bridge) and from DC thru Georgetown and go west on M Street NW
At Foxhall Road, bear left onto Canal Road NW
Continue west for about 2 miles
Stop at the stoplight at Reservoir Road
CAREFULLY turn left across the eastbound lane and drive down the driveway in front of the white brick Abner Cloud House, one of the oldest buildings in Washington DC
The upper parking lot has 85 spaces
When those spaces are filled, stay right and go through the tunnel under C&O Canal and Towpath to the lower parking lot
The lower parking lot has about 200 spaces
If EASTBOUND, e.g., from Chain Bridge, turn right to go east on Canal Road
Continue east for about 1 mile
Stop at the stoplight at Reservoir Road
Turn left and go uphill on Reservoir Road
Make a u-turn on Reservoir Road when safe
Return down Reservoir Road to Canal Road
Wait for the green light, then cross Canal Road and turn right down the driveway to Fletcher's Cove, then see above
Aid stations are at Lock 5, Lock 7, and Lock 10
Spectators can watch from Chain Bridge, Lock 5, Lock 6, Lock 7, Lock 8, and Lock 10
The C&O Canal Towpath locks are accessible only from Clara Barton Parkway EASTBOUND
To get to the locks, from Fletcher's Cove, go west
At Chain Bridge, Canal Road NW becomes Clara Barton Parkway NW
Go west on Clara Barton Parkway past Glen Echo to a crossover point on the median strip about 100 meters past Lock 10
From that point, you can go to Locks 10, 8, 7, 6, and 5
Signs mark Locks 10, 8, 7, and 6, but no sign marks Lock 5 -- Lock 5 is about one mile east of Little Falls Pumping Station, which ahs a huge bridge over Clara Barton Parkway
For Lock 5, look for the spiral ramp pedestrian overpass above Clara Barton Parkway, and turn right onto the gravel parking area with the portable toilet -- that's Lock 5
SET-UP:
The day before race day, the aid station director pre-positions the provisions at each of the three aid stations
Thus the provisions you need are on-site on race day -- except please bring a bag of ice from your freezer in a plastic bag or an ice chest -- please bring as much bagged ice as you can carry
Optimally, each aid station has four volunteers
Carry your provisions across the small wooden footbridge over the C&O Canal and set up on the margin of the Towpath, near the footbridge, but not obstructing the Towpath or the footbridge
Unfold the table and chairs, open the tent, and place trash boxes with plastic trash bags 20 meters east and 20 meters west of your aid station
Please wear food-handling gloves at all times
Please pour 100 cups of water
Then mix a 5-gallon jug of Gatorade (1 bag of Gatorade + 5 gallons water), and please pour 80 paper cups of Gatorade
HERE COME THE RUNNERS!
Your first half-marathoner passes your aid station around 9:15 AM (Lock 5), 9:30 AM (Lock 7), 9:45 AM (Lock 10)
Your last half-marathoner passes your aid station around 11:00 AM (Lock 10), 11:30 AM (Lock 7), 12:00 noon (Lock 5).
EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS:
In case of ANY runner who stops or is injured, FIRST call the race director at 703-927-4833, and then follow the instructions below
The race director will notify US Park Police about the emergency
In all cases, render aid immediately -- prompt first aid / CPR can save a life
If a runner cannot continue but is uninjured, conscious, and lucid:
Ask, "are you OK?" and additional questions to establish lucidity
Ask permission to assist. If the runner grants permission, then ...
In cases of severe injury or illness -- hypothermia (too cold),
hyperthermia / heat exhaustion (just tired) / heat prostration (can't talk, can't move) / heat stroke (unconscious),
a deep laceration, a puncture wound, an insect sting if the runner is allergic,
a broken bone or a compound fracture, food poisoning or related illnesses (diarrhea, vomiting),
shortness of breath, profuse sweating, pale skin, or highly flushed skin,
call 911 immediately, and assure the runner that help is on the way
Do not stop rendering aid until either you are relieved by another trained person or 911 help arrives
Get the runner off the Towpath and into a position where 911 emergency responders can wheel a stretcher to the person
On a cold day, provide fluids and warmth, and
allow the runner to recover in the warmth of one of your cars
On a hot day, provide fluids and shade,
allow the runner to recover in the shade inside one of your cars
Do not place ice on the person, but give the person a plastic bag full of ice, to be applied at will
If the runner does not grant permission, call 911 and report your emergency
In either case, do NOT allow the runner to continue
If the stopped runner simply cannot continue but is lucid, transport the stopped runner back to Fletcher's Cove to be reunited with family or friends
If a runner cannot continue but is injured, please wear gloves before handling
Ask permission before touching the runner in any way. If the runner grants permission,
then perform necessary first aid
Wash any wounds, cover any wounds with bandages or gauze wrap from your first-aid kit, and use adhesive tape to secure the wrap
In the case of a muscle strain, wrap the affected area to prevent further strain
Apply ice for a few minutes, then let up for a minute before re-applying, so you don't freeze the skin
If the runner does not grant permission, offer water and bandages so the runner can self-wrap and ice so the runner can self-treat
In some cases, after medical treatment, a runner may be able to get up and continue on to finish
I have been felled by foot blisters twice at marathons, then got up after treatment and finished -- it wasn't fun
In case of serious illness or loss of consciousness, consent to treament is implied. Call 911 immediately
Then provide first aid as above if you are certified or if you feel protected by Maryland's Good Samaritan Law
Thank you for serving
Please call me with any questions
Jay Jacob Wind, director
Safety And Health Foundation
703-927-4833
Adrianne Doherty
Volunteer coordinator
703-309-6657