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Posted by crow news on April 18, 2008, 3:02 pm, in reply to "MRH media coverage of the Women's Olympic Marathon Trials and the Boston Marathon"
The B.A.A. Medical Team offers the following advice to runners in Monday's Boston Marathon. Please note that, according to the National Weather Service, Monday's forecast for Boston calls for a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
MEDICAL INFORMATION
The B.A.A. and the Boston Marathon Medical Team urge all runners to consult their individual physicians when educating themselves about medical issues and risks relating to the marathon. Only a physician who is familiar with your personal medical history, your current health, your medications, and your specific medical condition and risk factors, can advise you as to whether you are fit to run the Boston Marathon safely and the precautions and preparations you should take.
SERVICES
Hopkinton
Services at the Athletes' Village handle last minute needs. A full medical staff will be available to answer medical questions or concerns. Band-Aids and Vaseline will be available. We strongly suggest that every runner write down their current or pre-event weight on the back of their bib. This number along with emergency contact information should be completed before you arrive in the Village. Our medical team will have scales available in the Village Medical Tent, if you have not recorded your pre-event weight on the bib.
On-course
The American Red Cross supplies medical aid stations at 26 locations, strategically located along the course. Each tent is staffed with a variety of medical professionals. Basic first aid is provided. Our Red Cross medical coverage is supported by five hospitals along the route to Boston: Framingham Union, Leonard Morse, Newton-Wellesley, St. Elizabeth's, and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospitals.
Medical Bus Program
Medical sweep buses are positioned along the route, and pick up athletes at aid and water stations. (Following the last runners, buses pick up athletes between stations, when flagged down). Buses are staffed by medical volunteers who may provide first aid. A runner may rest on the bus while the bus is parked at a first aid station. However, once the bus begins to move, the runner's timing and scoring chip will be removed, after which time the runner may not re-enter the course to complete the marathon. Medical Sweep buses do not return directly to the finish area. Rather, they may make additional stops along the course to pick up runners.
Finish Line
Medical teams are located at the finish line, and the main medical tent is on Dartmouth Street. A second tent will be located near Berkeley St. and the Family Meeting Area. Additional members of the medical team are located along recovery zones leading to the Family Meeting Area. Medical personnel can be identified by their red volunteer jackets: If you are injured or feeling ill, please seek out a member of the medical team for assistance.
Massage Therapy Services
Massage therapy is offered to the athletes on a limited, first-come first-served basis. Treatments may last from five to 15 minutes and focus on the specific need at that time. Pre-event massage is offered inside the Hopkinton Middle School gymnasium at the Athletes' Village on Monday (race) morning. Post-event massage in Boston is offered at the Dorothy Quincy Suite inside the John Hancock Building at the corner of Berkeley and Stuart Streets near the Family Meeting Area. Expected wait time for a massage varies with the number of volunteer massage therapists available at the time.
After you cross the Finish Line
During any prolonged physical activity, the body's blood supply is usually redirected to the extremities and away from internal organs. Runners should continue to walk after finishing the race. Standing still or stopping can cause you to feel nauseous, dizzy and weak. Walking may help redirect your blood to vital organs, so it is often advisable to keep moving. In any event, if you think you need help, ask one of our medical personnel for assistance.
Medical Expenses
Any medical expenses incurred on race day are the sole responsibility of the runner.
HYDRATION, DEHYDRATION AND HYPONATREMIA
The B.A.A. and the Boston Marathon medical team have provided each registered runner with a brochure, which accompanies this Welcome Booklet. The brochure, entitled "The Right Way to Hydrate for a Marathon," has been developed by the American Medical Athletic Association and offers important information relevant to athletes of all abilities. It is important for runners to be aware that there are many risks involved in running a marathon. It must also be understood that a runner's susceptibility to a particular risk will depend on a number of different factors, including factors unique to the individual runner. Medical knowledge and medical therapies relating to long distance running are continuing to evolve and develop. For instance, one of the risks which is receiving attention is hyponatremia, and there are studies which indicate that females, runners with a slight build, runners that take over four hours to complete the course, and those taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.) may be particularly susceptible to this risk. This is usually associated with a weight gain. One suggestion for the runner is to measure their weight pre and post training runs. One should finish a long run at about the same weight or up to 2% below the pre run weight. Changes above or below these levels may predispose to hyponatremia or hyperthermia respectively. It is your responsibility to understand your specific fluid needs and not overdrink before, during or after the event. Unfortunately, no one study is definitive or comprehensive. Therefore, the B.A.A. and the Boston Marathon medical team urge all participants to read publicly available materials and to educate themselves fully about the medical risks associated with running a marathon. Professional recommendations about training, nutrition, hydration and injury-prevention can be found on the following web sites:
www.rrm.com/archive03/042803n2.htm
www.acsm.org/publications/newsreleases2005/Runners Hydrate.htm
www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=24034
www.aims-association.org (click on "Medical")
(These sources and links are not associated with the B.A.A. and the B.A.A. is not responsible for their content. Reference to these sources is informational only and does not indicate endorsement or approval by the B.A.A.)
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Hydration Recommendations for the Boston Marathon
Practical Guidelines, provided by Gatorade Sports Science Institute
Runners know that proper training, recovery, nutrition, and the right race plan are all important for success. The same is true for hydration.
Proper hydration can not only improve your performance, but is essential for reducing the risk of heat exhaustion or heat illness, as well as hyponatremia - a dangerous condition reflecting a low level of sodium in the blood. Hyponatremia can be caused by an excess loss of sodium but more commonly by excessive fluid intake. Factors that contribute to this include being a slower runner and taking over 4 hours to complete the marathon, having a small body mass, more likely but not exclusively being female, and being over vigilant in fluid intake in excess of the sweat rate.
Depending on race intensity and weather conditions, athletes can lose a quart (32 ounces) or more of sweat per hour. Electrolyte loss - especially sodium, the most critical electrolyte lost in sweat - also varies widely among athletes. At times, sodium loss can exceed the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt in a two-hour workout.
Protecting your hydration and electrolyte status is the easiest and most important way to optimize your performance and safety.
So what should you do about hydration?
The simplest advice is to drink enough during exercise to minimize dehydration (weight lost during exercise), but avoid the over-drinking (weight gain during exercise) that can increase the risk of hyponatremia.
But how much is enough? That depends on how much sweat you're losing. You can develop a good sense of your fluid replacement needs by stepping on a scale before and after workouts. If you lose more than 2% of your body weight (e.g., 3 lb for a 150-lb runner), increase your fluid intake the next time out. If you've gained any weight at all, cut back in future sessions. After some trial and error, you'll become good at gauging your hydration needs under varying conditions.
It's also important to ensure adequate sodium intake during periods of heavy training, in the days leading up to races, and on race day. If you are a heavy sweater or if you finish workouts with your skin and clothes caked with white residue, you should favor sports drinks with higher sodium, like Gatorade Endurance Formula. Regardless, drinking any beverage in amounts that exceed your sweat rate can produce hyponatremia. Before and after heavy activity, you may also want to consider adding salt to your diet and/or eating salty snacks to replace those salt losses.
Remember, you're unique, so don't copy what others are doing. Some athletes will need less fluid than you do, while others will need more.
Also, during periods of heavy training, you can help protect your hydration status by asking yourself three questions each morning: 1) Am I thirsty? 2) Is my urine dark yellow? 3) Is my body weight off (lower than 2% of your normal weight)? If the answer to at least two of those questions is "yes," you are probably dehydrated and need to increase your fluid intake during the day. No need to overdo it, though. An extra quart (liter) or two spread out over the day may be all you'll need to restore hydration.
