You and your team have finally agreed on the menu - you've done the shopping - twice. The stuff they were supposed to organise didn't happen so you had to go out again. And race day is just around the corner...

A week before the race, while you're precooking food, accumulating gear and packing crates, start catching-up on sleep. Even though you're getting excited and your mind is buzzing with all the things you still have to do, make sure you get to sleep at a reasonable time. And, more importantly, make sure that your team is doing the same.
You can't bank sleep, but you can make certain that you're well rested. Inevitably, from the day before the race till you're back home again, you're not likely to get more than 4 hours sleep a day.

When you get your race venue, calculate your travelling time. Preferences are to get to the registration location really early so you can check the bikes in case there was any damage during transport, get dinner organised, set up camp for the night, finalise the packing of the seconding vehicle and do the social thing. It is great seeing people you’ve met on previous races.

Never count on getting any sleep in the afternoon even if you’ve been up and travelling since 5 that morning. You're on an adrenaline high already and you'll feel the buzz. If you prepare while you still have light, then after registration and the pre-race briefing, all you have to do is check the route with the racers, send them off to sleep, set your alarm and snuggle in for some shut-eye.

Check the time of the registration, gear checks and pre-race briefing. While you're sorting out the vehicle and making grab-bags, the racers will prepare their packs and get their gear inspected. This gives you more than enough time to make sure the racers are 100% ready, the vehicle is 99% packed except for the overnight stuff, and that dinner has been served.

Take along a pen and paper to the briefing. You may have to note down changes to the route or co-ordinates. As seconds, you'll be briefed on your route, when you have to leave the start and what the conditions are going to be like on the roads and at the transitions - always assume the worst. Make certain that you collect your own set of maps, which you have to order when the team entry is submitted.

As has often happened, you will have to leave 15 minutes before the race start. This means that you need to prepare drinks and a snack, wake-up the team, feed them, pack the vehicle and leave.

From the start to the first transition you'll probably travel in convoy. LISTEN to instructions and don't be impatient. You'll get there.

Although the organisers will always try to put you on routes different to those that the teams are taking, you may drive past racers. Give them the right of way, slow down as you pass - especially on dirt roads, don't stop and do not give your team (or any other team) any help. You are not allowed to assist your team (food, water, first-aid, clothing) unless you're in a transition area. This doesn't prevent you from shouting encouragement out the window and taking action shots as you drive past.

Once in the transition area, set up camp. As soon as your team leaves, pack up and move to the next transition. You can wash dishes and tidy up when you get there. You will feel more chilled-out getting to the next transition early because then you know that even if we get a flat tyre en route, we'll have enough time to deal with problems and locate the transition in time to meet the team.

Last piece of advice is to make sure you know where you're going before you leave transition. There was a case where a seconding team got really lost, their tired team arrived, we fed them and they had to wait for their support.

Good Luck!