Dear Running Doc:
Again, 2 more marathon deaths. What can we do to stop this?
Steve F. Cleveland, Ohio.
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I am again sorry to hear about the sudden deaths of two apparently healthy runners, this time at Sunday’s Philadelphia marathon. A 21-year-old died at the finish and a 40-year-old died just before the finish. I have written about sudden death before, the last time in this column on Nov 1, 2011. While we know the statistics, it is always tough to deal with. Marathon medical directors have been discussing what more we can do.
We believe education is the key yet the message does not seem to be getting through to runners. From interviewing runners at expos and interviewing successfully resuscitated runners, here is what we know:
Runners tend NOT to get yearly physicals and if they do they don’t tell tell their primary health care provider the amount and duration of exercise they intend to do. “Superman syndrome” still is prevalent and runners think if they run they are “bullet proof.” Yearly, means every year even if you feel fine!
Although we are trying to get the word out about limiting caffeine to less than 200mg race day, mixed messages are still out there. Race organizers still sell expo booths to those who sell products with caffeine in them and articles appear by writers writing about the ergogenic aid caffeine could be; it may decrease your time by a few seconds. Worth it? I think not.
Although we tell people not to sprint to the finish, we still hear announcers egging on runners to “finish strong — if you hear my voice you can finish under four hours.” Both increase adrenaline and could lead to a heart stoppage.
And how many people have heard that taking a baby aspirin in the morning could be cardioprotective? Not enough.
So please runners, re-read my Nov 1 column and take these recommendations to heart. And tell 21 runner friends. If each of us does this, we may just decrease the number of these horrible headlines and actually save a life.
Lewis G. Maharam, MD
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Lewis G. Maharam, better known as Running DocTM, is the author of Running Doc’s Guide to Healthy Running. Heis the medical director of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. He is past president of the New York Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine. Learn more at runningdoc.com.
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