RACE INFO
Help will be near at hand for any runners who may need medical assistance
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
The CMA has embarked on a preventative education campaign to runners. This campaign has been carried through to the roadshows, on the website, newsletters and at the registration points. It now also includes the compulsory pre-race medical screening questionnaire, which has to be completed by every runner as part of the entry process. This is a simple yes / no type questionnaire, where a positive answer will result in the runner being sent advice on what steps should be taken to avoid them requiring medical attention on race day.
AWARENESS ON RACE DAY
We urge runners to be aware of any unusual symptoms that may develop during the race, e. g. chest pain, dizziness, severe nausea, unusual shortness of breath, change in running style, confusion and disorientation. If this happens, stop running and seek medical attention. It has become apparent over many years that people feel it is more important to finish the race than be concerned about their health.
ASSISTING OTHER RUNNERS
As introduced in 2008, a medically-orientated enforcement of the rules will be applied. As the name and the origins and ethos of the Comrades implies, it is a personal battle to finish, and the support and encouragement of one’ s fellow runners is an intimate part of the race. However, this could, and has, led to runners being helped and carried when they should have stopped running and sought medical help. Again, we will enforce the rule that any runner who is unable to move forward under their own power, i. e. being carried by other runners, will be prevented from continuing, medical attention will be called for, and that runner’ s race will be over.
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5 PREVENTION CAMPAIGN
It is important to remember that medical attention is retroactive, i. e. we only respond when a runner is in trouble. It is still the responsibility of the runner to take care of his or her own health.
Doctor’ s Orders
The Comrades Marathon Association’ s race doctor, Dr Jeremy Boulter, has been at the helm of coordinating the event’ s extensive medical, emergency, first aid and physiotherapy response to assist runners over 47 years – a feat of endurance in itself. He says the Down Run is often harder on the legs, with people having more aches and pains the next day, compared to those years starting in Durban.“ The main concerns we usually treat on race day are exhaustion, dehydration, some over-hydration, and any arising acute medical problems experienced on the route. Most musculoskeletal problems will only surface the following day, and will need treatment then.”
With his extensive experience in race-day emergencies, Dr Boulter offers five points of sound advice to runners on the day. 1 Make sure you’ re adequately trained and prepared. 2 Don’ t run if you are ill or have been ill with influenza in the two weeks prior to Comrades Day.“ If your symptoms were experienced above the neck, it’ s probably okay to run, but if they were below the neck, don’ t chance it. If you’ ve had a fever with aches and pains, a chest infection or coughing, and you’ re still on treatment, don’ t attempt the race,” advises Dr Boulter. 3 Make sure you drink enough fluids on the route. 4 Eat enough food to keep you going during the race. 5 Don’ t take medication such as painkillers, antiinflammatories or muscle relaxants while running, warns Dr Boulter.“ There is plenty of medical help along the way if you need it.”( see sidebar)
There will be medical teams stationed along and roaming on the route
How to Get Help
All calls for medical assistance for runners should be made to the Netcare 911 medical emergency number 082 911. Runners and spectators can also approach Netcare 911 staff and race marshals along the route for assistance. All runners and those seconding them are urged to download the Netcare app ahead of the race, as this app has a Netcare 911 emergency call and geolocation function, as well as a 60-second call-back option. At the swipe of a button, it lets the Netcare 999 team find you and get to you with the medical help you need.
Healthy Race Plan
The CMA would like to appeal to runners to demonstrate a great degree of selfresponsibility, by making sure that they are adequately prepared to run the Comrades Marathon. The following is a list of the basic principles every runner should adhere to:
• Do drink enough.
• Do eat if necessary.
• Do listen to your body.
• DON’ T run if you are not fit enough or not properly prepared.
• DON’ T run if you have been sick or on anti-biotics three weeks prior to the race.
• DON’ T take ANY medication during the race.
• DON’ T be afraid to bail.
Remember, the aim is to enjoy the race and finish in a reasonably healthy state
Runners Urged Not to Pop Pills!
In a race as long and challenging as the Comrades Marathon, runners may ne tempted to take medication during the race, notably painkillers. Comrades race doctor, Dr Jeremy Boulter, expands on why it’ s so important that runners do not selfmedicate along the way.“ Every year we have patients coming in and we can pinpoint those whose medical problems were caused by painkillers, anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants, which can lead to serious problems,” he says.
“ Runners may be tempted to take the medication because they’ re getting sore, but you can’ t expect to run from‘ Maritzburg to Durban and not feel pain. Medication has side-effects, thoough. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories cause inflammation of the stomach. When you run, your stomach function is reduced because blood is diverted to essential organs like your heart, lungs, brain and muscles, which means that whatever you take sits in the stomach for longer, which could cause inflammation.”
“ These medications can also affect blood flow to the kidneys, so if you are somewhat dehydrated and take non-steroidal anti-inflammatories you can further compromise the function of the kidneys and end up in acute renal failure. It’ s not just the known side-effects of the medication that can cause problems, but also the effects of running that sort of distance.”
Images: Kirsten Oliver, Richard Dobbin, Comrades marathon & Courtesy Netcare 911, Vecteezy