Runners, HURT ohana,

Putting on an event like the HURT 100 requires significant commitments from many of us, and we are grateful for the support we receive from the HURT ohana. Most recently, Jan McGriff and Julie Takishima have graciously agreed to be the Aid Station Captains at Paradise Park, and many of you have already volunteered to help at all three aid stations.

A major organizational challenge still lies ahead though, and we need your help.

At the last HURT 100 we successfully field-tested the concept of a safety and sweeper team. In its 2012 incarnation the mission of the HURT Patrol remains unchanged, namely to

1) assist in case of an emergency,
2) maintain course markings,
3) monitor the race.

Trail safety has become a pressing concern for the HURT 100 and similar events. Pacers provide some element of safety on the course but only for individual runners fortunate enough to find one. The HURT 100 needs a dedicated team committed to the support of the race and all its participants.

Members of this team will have to commit to at least 14 hours of service, must be familiar with the course, and need to be physically and mentally strong enough to be on standby or out on the course for a significant portion of the event, regardless of conditions.

We therefore

- call for volunteers for the HURT Patrol

- request that Aid Station Captains release volunteers who could be candidates for safety patrol service from prior commitments made to support HURT 100 aid stations

- appeal to all runners of the HURT 100 to forgo pacers and instead encourage their pacers to serve all runners by joining the patrol

The safety patrol provides vital race support, and its members' kokua will be recognized as a significant community service contribution by the HURT 100 Race Directors.

If the HURT Patrol is not for you and you would still like to volunteer, we have posted the contacts for those areas where volunteers are still needed. The listing is on the right hand side of this page.

Aloha,

Jeff