Runners get a lot of attention at Coastal Five.
They get the race bib. The finish line. The photos. The medal. The slightly questionable decision to voluntarily run up hills.
But behind many runners is an equally important crew: the supporters.
The partners who got up ridiculously early. The kids waving homemade signs. The parents anxiously checking their watches. The mates yelling at full volume from somewhere along the course.
Spectators are a massive part of the Coastal Five experience.
So, if someone you love is taking on one event — or attempting the full five events over two days — here's how to absolutely nail your supporting role.
1. Make a plan before they start
First rule of spectating: don't wait until your runner disappears over the start line before asking:
“Soooo… where are we meeting them?”
Have a rough plan before race day.
Know what event they're doing, what sort of pace they're expecting and where you'll meet afterwards.
Charge your phone. Save their bib number. Know roughly when you're expecting to see them.
And if you're supporting someone doing multiple Coastal Five events, you'll earn extra supporter points for helping keep track of food, water, warm clothes and general life admin between races.
They're busy running.
You can be Head of Snacks and Logistics.
It's an important position.
2. Pick your cheering spot
Your next job is simple:
Be seen. And heard.
But where you cheer from depends on the event.
Supporting someone in the Coastal Half?
There's a timing mat around halfway, near Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, which will help you keep track of your runner's progress.
If you've got kids with you, East End Playground is a great spot to cheer from.
You get a good spot to support your runner, the kids get a playground to keep them occupied, and everybody is happy.
Well, everybody except possibly the person who's still running 21.1km.
Supporting someone in the Pukeiti 10K?
This one's a little different.
Pukeiti isn't particularly spectator-friendly, so don't plan on following your runner around the course.
Your best option is to cheer them at the halfway point around the intersection of Plymouth Road.
Give them a massive cheer as they come through, tell them they're looking fabulous — regardless of available evidence — and send them on their way.
Then?
Go and get a hot chocolate and some breakfast.
Seriously.
Your runner will continue doing the hard work while you undertake the equally important task of finding something warm and delicious.
They'll return by bus, so you can meet back up afterwards and resume your official supporting duties.
3. Small lies are absolutely allowed
Normally, we encourage honesty.
On race day?
There are exceptions.
If your runner comes past looking like they're floating effortlessly along:
“YOU LOOK AMAZING!”
If your runner comes past looking like their legs have filed for divorce:
“YOU LOOK AMAZING!”
Other perfectly acceptable race-day lies include:
“You're looking so strong!”
“You've got heaps left in the tank!”
“You're making this look easy!”
They may know you're lying.
You may know you're lying.
The person standing next to you may definitely know you're lying.
Doesn't matter.
For those few seconds when your runner passes you, your job is to make them feel like an absolute weapon.
Clap. Yell their name. Tell them they're smashing it.
Truth can resume after the finish line.
4. Bring snacks. Obviously.
We're not saying snacks are the foundation of a successful support crew.
But we're also not not saying that.
Pack water and something to eat for yourself, especially if you're going to be out for a while.
If you're bringing kids, bring more snacks than any reasonable person thinks they'll require.
You know the drill.
It's also worth having something your runner will appreciate afterwards, along with warm or dry clothes if the weather isn't playing nicely.
And because this is Taranaki, preparing for four seasons in one morning isn't exactly overreacting.
Layers. Rain jacket. Hat. Sunscreen.
Congratulations.
You're now ready for anything.
5. If you're bringing kids, make it fun for them too
Watching a running event with kids generally involves approximately:
10 seconds of: “THERE THEY ARE! GO MUM!!!”
followed by:
Quite a lot of: “When are they coming back?”
So choose your cheering location wisely.
Bring snacks, drinks and something to keep them occupied between runner sightings. A playground nearby is basically spectator gold — which is why East End is such a good option for families supporting someone in the Coastal Half.
And get the kids involved.
Make signs. Ring bells. Invent ridiculous cheers.
Children have absolutely no embarrassment threshold, so use this superpower wisely.
6. Respect the course
We love enthusiastic supporters.
We don't love enthusiastic supporters accidentally becoming competitors.
Keep off the course, give runners plenty of room, cross only where it's safe and permitted, and always follow instructions from event marshals.
If you've got little ones with you, keep an especially close eye on them when runners are coming through.
Cheer loudly from the sidelines.
Very loudly.
7. If they're doing all five, settle in
Coastal Five isn't your standard running event.
There are five events over two days, with runners able to pick their challenge or take on the lot.
That means supporting someone doing the full Coastal Five can become a weekend mission too.
There may be outfit changes.
There will be sweaty clothes.
There will probably be extensive discussions about legs.
Embrace it.
Bring the family. Follow their adventure from event to event. Help them remember to eat. Keep the dry gear handy. Know where they need to be next.
Become the unofficial team manager nobody appointed.
Your runner might be doing the kilometres.
But you're part of the story too.
8. Don't underestimate the finish line
You know what's better than crossing a finish line?
Crossing it and immediately seeing your people.
Be there if you can.
Cheer embarrassingly loudly.
Take the photo.
Give them the hug — but perhaps assess sweat levels first.
Whether they've just completed their first event, conquered the Coastal Half or finished all five, celebrate what they've done.
Because Coastal Five isn't about there being one “right” challenge.
It's run one or run them all.
9. Celebrate properly afterwards
This bit is important.
They've trained.
They've turned up.
They've pushed themselves.
Now it's time to celebrate.
Grab some food. Get the obligatory medal photo. Let them tell you about kilometre 17 in extraordinary detail.
Nod sympathetically when they explain that hill.
Listen to the full analysis of their splits.
And when they say:
“I don't think I could ever do that again…”
Just smile.
There's a reasonable chance that within 48 hours they'll be talking about next year.
Support crews, you're part of Coastal Five too
Running events might look like they're all about the runners.
They're not.
They're about the people lining the course, waiting at the finish and making a big deal out of someone doing something that matters to them.
The cheer that comes at exactly the right moment.
The familiar face on the side of the course.
The person waiting at the finish with warm clothes and something to eat.
That stuff matters.
So to every partner, parent, kid, friend and enthusiastic stranger yelling encouragement from the sidelines:
Bring the snacks. Bring the noise. Bring the love.
And, if necessary, bring a few small lies.
“YOU LOOK AMAZING!”
See?
You're a natural. 😂