Support Team Information

What is a support team?

Each Monster participant team must have a support team. Your support team play a crucial role in your success and morale. They meet you at each of the main checkpoints along the route (except at the Bronze finish at Invermoriston where Maggie’s support you) and provide refreshments, hot food, clean or replacement kit and encouragement.

They ensure you check in and out of the checkpoint. They also need to check your general condition – are you dehydrated, do you need clean/dry clothes, do you have enough supplies in your daypack?

A support team should be made up of at least two people – if you are doing the longer distances, they will be meeting you during the night and therefore for safety reasons, need to also be able to sleep at some point, in between driving. You can have as many people in your support team as you wish, provided they can fit in your vehicle along with your kit (and bike if using your own).

For full details of the support team role, checkpoint maps, directions and facilities, please read the Support Team Guide. Please ensure your Support Team read it too! Every Support Team will also be given a copy at registration the night before the event.

Monster Support Team Guide 2012

Please note due to space restrictions we can only accommodate one support team vehicle at each checkpoint.

The support team does not follow you on the Great Glen Way (vehicles are not allowed on it, apart from the Rangers and emergency vehicles) – they are on the road and meet you at each checkpoint. In between meeting you, they wait at each checkpoint and ensure they are ready for you when you arrive. Keep in contact via mobile phones, however try and keep conversations to a minimum to keep lines free for emergencies.

Each checkpoint will have facilities provided by Maggie’s – toilets, first aid, physiotherapists, masseurs, water, indoor shelter. The support teams will congregate in the car parks at each checkpoint; (except Invermoriston) you can meet them at your vehicle, or in the event of wet weather, inside the checkpoint building (These vary – sports centre, village hall etc).

We recommend that you stop at each checkpoint for no more than 20 - 30 minutes – to avoid your muscles seizing up and to keep your momentum going.

Where will the support team sleep?

Depending on the distance you are completing, your support team may wish to book accommodation for the Saturday night somewhere en route – close to where you expect to finish i.e. in either Drumnadrochit or Inverness. Please check with your accommodation provider at the point of booking that you will be able to make a late check-in! If your support team is driving you home on the Sunday after the event, please ensure your journey home is planned safely, with adequate rest/sleep periods planned.

Support team – suggested food and kit

This will obviously depend upon the personal preferences of the participating team (i.e. any specific dietary requirements or kit needs) but here are some suggestions:

• Drinks: water, hot flasks of tea, hot chocolate or soup.
• Snacks: chocolate, bananas, nuts, energy bars, dried fruit.
• Meals: high carbohydrate main meals for re-heating – pasta, rice, potatoes, stew, (N.B. Support teams will be required to provide their own food – food provided at the checkpoints by Maggie’s is for the participants only.)
• Kit: disposable BBQ / basic gas cooker, cooking utensils, sun-hat / cream, first aid / blister repair kit, midge repellent, mobile phone, road map, warm clothes, waterproofs, portable chairs, umbrella, groundsheet, torch, sleeping bag, tent, alarm clock.