By Catherine Smith

Race2 veteran Catherine Smith gives us her top tips for St Andrews’ biggest charity commitment.

The annual Race2 charity hitchhike is one of the biggest events run by the University's charities campaign, with this year’s fundraising total surpassing £50,000. In previous years the teams have raced to places like Budapest, Barcelona, Munich, and Prague, and the 2020 Race2 destination was Valencia.

I have now raced twice, and my experience both years differed significantly. As you can’t predict how much luck (or lack thereof) you’re going to get, each and every Racer has a totally unique story to tell.

This year, I found myself in Sallies Quad at 4:30am once again wondering what I had gotten myself into. No matter how many times you take part in the race, I don’t think the pre-race nerves ever disappear. We were about to get dropped off in the middle of a Glasgow or Edinburgh knowing that the next few days were going to be completely unpredictable – how far would we get in a day? Where would we end up sleeping? Would we get stranded in a random town with no way out? Though this, as well as the prospect of actually hitchhiking to a different country, is daunting, the experience really was incredible. In the hope that it might ease any apprehension going forward and encourage everyone to take part in this amazing event, I wanted to share a few of my veteran Racer tips!

1. Don’t get too disheartened!

As the initial excitement of your first few lifts wear away, the waiting can soon become tiring and demotivating. Though we were incredibly lucky at first and managed to hitchhike all the way to London before 8pm, the next couple of days proved to be a bit challenging. Sometimes the hours of waiting can seem endless with nothing to show for them, especially towards the last day or so.

As a team, we tried to keep our spirits up by reminding each other that the race isn’t meant to be easy. Making light of situations and remaining positive kept us motivated – even when we’d been stuck on the border of France and Spain for pretty much an entire day! Ultimately, the race is supposed to be challenging and you are relying on the kindness of strangers to pick you up. It may take a while but when that lift does come along, it is the best feeling ever.

2. Look after yourself

This one may seem self-explanatory, but when you are racing it can be easy to forget simple things like staying hydrated and eating enough. We brought an extra bag of water and snacks with us which we took turns carrying, to make sure that we always had something to eat and drink to hand. At first, it felt like a bit of unnecessary weight, but over the course of the race, we had almost emptied it.

Making sure you have plenty of layers is vital as well. We spent well over half of our time standing outside, which gets incredibly cold very quickly. Thermal base layers, fluffy jumpers, multiple pairs of socks and a thick pair of gloves will be your best friend. I wore two jackets and still got cold at times! It’s especially important to stay warm; some of the time you will get dropped off in a place with little to no shelter – like a Spanish toll station – meaning you’re stuck outside until your next lift.

Also, DO NOT forget waterproofs. We got soaked through walking to a toll station on the border and I don’t think our clothes properly dried off until we reached the hostel two days later. The weather is so unpredictable and being prepared is a benefit in the long run!

3. Enjoy it!

Regardless of how scary the race may seem; the experience really is amazing and one of a kind. There are moments that test your patience, moments that push you out of your comfort zone, and moments where you want nothing more than to be tucked up in a nice warm bed - but all of these are outweighed by the amazing time you’ll have travelling to another country with no preparation or plan.

When you eventually arrive at the hostel it is the most rewarding feeling ever and sharing stories with the other teams is so entertaining. After the race itself is over there are events organised by the committee such as the pub crawl and racer party are great ways to end the trip. All of the moments which seem the most difficult or challenging will soon become the best memories, and the fun you have while racing, and after, is worth every long hour you spent standing with your giant foam thumb in the air trying to catch a lift.

Photo Credit: Catherine Smith

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