Pro Tips for Boston Marathon Spectators

How to cheer, how to hand off water, what to stock in your Solo cup, and more.

Water Photo via Shutterstock.com

Beat the Bonk

We, as spectators, have a very important job to do: get runners to the finish line. But what to do when they look like they’re about to hit the wall?

Seek Middle Ground: Sure, watching from the start or finish lines might be more exciting, but Adam Naylor, of Telos Sports Psychology Coaching, says that your cheering is most useful somewhere in between. By picking a mile marker in advance, you can give runners a much-needed boost and an energy gel or two—carbs!—right when they need it the most.

Don’t Overdo It: If your friend is dogging it, you may think you’re helping by shouting, “You can make it!” or “Don’t give up!”—but cheers that imply a marathoner is struggling can dent his or her confidence, says Richard Ginsburg, a sports psychologist at MGH. Better to go with simple encouragement that reinforces how well they are doing. —Jason Schwartz

How to Hand Off H2O to a Runner

Lauren Jones, co-captain of the BAA’s 25-mile hydration station, and Chris Chesmore, a longtime race-day volunteer, show us the pro way to help hydrate racers on Marathon Monday. —S. I. Rosenbaum

Step 1

Wearing latex gloves (for hygiene’s sake), pinch the rim of the cup with your index finger on the inside and your thumb and middle finger on the outside, or just between your thumb and index finger.Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Step 2

Plant your back leg and hold the cup out with your arm straight and about chest level. Don’t lean into the street.Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Step 3

Make eye contact with an oncoming runner. “You want to make a connection,” Jones says. Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Step 4

Lead your target by moving your arm parallel to the runner. Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Step 5

When you feel the runner’s hand on the cup, let go. Optional: Twist your wrist as you do so to minimize impact. “The wrist flick is an advanced technique,” Jones says.Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Illustration by Nick Sullivan

Make Some Noise

Choose an instrument wisely to ensure your runner hears you above the din. —S. I. Rosenbaum

Human Shout

Decibel level: 90Shouting Photo via Shutterstock

Shouting Photo via Shutterstock

Cowbell

Decibel level: 115Cowbell Photo via Shutterstock

Cowbell Photo via Shutterstock

Sports Whistle

Decibel level: 122Whistle Photo via Shutterstock

Whistle Photo via Shutterstock

Vuvuzela

Decibel level: 127Vuvuzela Photo via Shutterstock

Vuvuzela Photo via Shutterstock

Bicycle Horn

Decibel level: 143Horn Photo via Shutterstock

Horn Photo via Shutterstock

Sources: CBC Sports, the Center for Hearing and Communication, and the Telegraph.

Going Solo

Before you dismiss the red plastic cup as a vestige of college parties past, consider this: It’s the ultimate tool for assembling carefully calibrated cocktails. Even the pros are onboard. “This is how I roll—this is how we tailgate,” says Jackson Cannon, Eastern Standard’s beverage director. The key, he says, is to use the lines of the cup to measure ingredients. We asked Cannon and two other bartenders to offer up creative quaffs that can be crafted entirely in an 18-ounce cup*—with nary a jigger in sight (a spoon or stray chopstick, however, may come in handy). —Leah Mennies

The Cuba Libre

From Jackson Cannon, beverage director, Eastern Standard and Island Creek Oyster Bar; co-owner, Hawthorne.

The Pal-o-Mine

From Ezra Star, bar manager, Drink.

Flip the Pimm’s

From Joy Richard, beverage director, Franklin Restaurant Group.

* These diagrams were created with a generic red cup. Solo overhauled its basic design a few years ago; if you opt for the brand’s new square-bottom cup, note that similar measurements can be achieved by using the letters on the side of the cup and its wavy top lines.