This section will challenge your uphill and downhill fitness. After leaving the May Queen Aid station you will immediately begin an uphill grind to the the Hagerman Pass Road. The first section is on pavement and many folks walk with their crew for a bit until the runner veers off to the single track in about a half mile. The uphill to Hagerman Pass road is mostly runnable but there will be large boulders that will need to scooted around and a steep section or two that needs to be walked to avoid going anaerobic. All in all this 2 mile section goes quickly (at night coming home its a different story). Once you reach the Hagerman Pass dirt road, it's a run/walk all the way to the top ... all running is a bad idea just as all walking is a waste of valuable time. Use your skills to find just the right mix for your fitness level. You'll find that you begin to hook up with people of similar fitness and the pretenders - those who 'forgot to train' - start to fall away (or make a great deal of noise trying to keep up the pace). You should still be in control and proceeding strong and steady. Personal opinion ... don't waste your energy or the available air gabbing ... there's a time for it, but it is still early on. No need for poles on this section.
Once a top the Powerline, you are faced with a long rutted downhill. It is (or should be) completely runnable. DO NOT haul ass down this section ... run comfortably ... don't fight it, but don't force it either. Once you get down to the pavement, its a nice easy run - or run/walk - to the aid station.
Hydration, Fueling and Electrolytes:
2 handheld bottles w/ 1 scoop of Perpertuem in each + 1 salt stick cap in each (remove contents from cap and pour into bottle)
4 gels rubber banded to bottles.
No Poles.
Crewing:
It is an easy drive with lots of time to get from MQ to Outward Bound ... not extra time to go have breakfast ... but enough time to easy drive over, park and get set up. I recommend waiting for the runner at the entry to the the out and back section to the actual aid station. Take the bottles as the runner arrives, let the runner proceed into the actual aid station , then resupply as they return to head out. While there is a lot of activity at this aid station (and people), it is hard to miss your runner. There are but a couple porta-johns there and one can waste minutes waiting ... runners are better to do one's business in the woods off the Powerline. A handful of gravel makes great toilet paper ... add some sand and you are squeeky clean :-)
I see a lot of wasted time at Outward Bound ... get in and get out. Walk with your runner during the resupply, but don't be standing still. Keep moving. Forget the picnic table and lawn chairs. I recommend the usual 2 bottles w/ salt sticks and 4 gels ... then, 2 baggies with Perpetuem and salt stick and another 4 gels to self-resupply at Halfmoon (no drop bags). You can easily carry the extra stuff in a minimalist one compartment fanny pack.
Why no drop bags? It takes too long and they get lost easily ... just carry what you need and avoid the frustration and loss of valuable time.
Pace:
This is a section to make time ... no major hills and a whole lot of pavement and dirt road. Run/walk patterns work great here to keep the pace up while getting short rest breaks.