This was the first race I've ever volunteered at that I actually became a jerk to someone. I never thought it would happen. He wasn't even an athlete. He was a participants husband.
Club Nationals (Pumpkinman) this weekend was a split venue. All thletes had to do was bag their stuff and leave it at T1. We were taking everyones stuff up to the finish line and the athletes wouldn't have to worry about their stuff during the race. The concept is real simple in a split venue - LEAVE THE BAGS AND THE STAFF WILL DELIVER IT TO THE FINISH LINE!!! This concept is used at most IM races. An added convenience that your stuff is accounted for and safe. You don't have to shlep all the way back to the start to pick your stuff up.
That being said this guy was argumentative and just an all around jerk. I explained to him that we didn't know who he was and I didn't know who his bag belonged to. Therefore, I asked him to please leave the bag with me. He was such a serious jerk to me; telling me that if I wanted it so bad, I could call the cops and they could take it. I backed down and let him run for a bit.
I was unaware of how the process was going to take place at the finish line. I was assuming that they would place each bag in the corrals, by number. If a number was missing, there would be a problem at the finish line. So I didn't want to lose accountability for the bags.
Eventually after I asked him what number was on the bag and he was still a jerk, I snapped. I didn't yell at him. I simply said I have no choice but to contact the RD about disqualifying the athlete. That did it. I had become the asshole volunteer. I was so mad at myself because I allowed this j-off to get me to that point.
I settled down and actually attempted to apologize and he was STILL a jerk.
I almost walked away from the transition zone. I have never been that upset at a race. The whole exchange took all of a 1.5 minutes and it genuinely bothered me the rest of the day.
I hope the athlete had a good day, but her husband was an ass!!! I don't wish any harm on him or anything like that but I'd like him to get a really bad hang-nail!
I had to get that off my chest.
*****
It's a dry heat!
Club Nationals (Pumpkinman) this weekend was a split venue. All thletes had to do was bag their stuff and leave it at T1. We were taking everyones stuff up to the finish line and the athletes wouldn't have to worry about their stuff during the race. The concept is real simple in a split venue - LEAVE THE BAGS AND THE STAFF WILL DELIVER IT TO THE FINISH LINE!!! This concept is used at most IM races. An added convenience that your stuff is accounted for and safe. You don't have to shlep all the way back to the start to pick your stuff up.
That being said this guy was argumentative and just an all around jerk. I explained to him that we didn't know who he was and I didn't know who his bag belonged to. Therefore, I asked him to please leave the bag with me. He was such a serious jerk to me; telling me that if I wanted it so bad, I could call the cops and they could take it. I backed down and let him run for a bit.
I was unaware of how the process was going to take place at the finish line. I was assuming that they would place each bag in the corrals, by number. If a number was missing, there would be a problem at the finish line. So I didn't want to lose accountability for the bags.
Eventually after I asked him what number was on the bag and he was still a jerk, I snapped. I didn't yell at him. I simply said I have no choice but to contact the RD about disqualifying the athlete. That did it. I had become the asshole volunteer. I was so mad at myself because I allowed this j-off to get me to that point.
I settled down and actually attempted to apologize and he was STILL a jerk.
I almost walked away from the transition zone. I have never been that upset at a race. The whole exchange took all of a 1.5 minutes and it genuinely bothered me the rest of the day.
I hope the athlete had a good day, but her husband was an ass!!! I don't wish any harm on him or anything like that but I'd like him to get a really bad hang-nail!
I had to get that off my chest.
*****
It's a dry heat!