The finish line and sidelines of a running race can sometimes look a little bit like medical chaos: people throwing up, bent over, some laying on the ground or stumbling around. Of course, the vast majority of those athletes don’t end up in the medical tent, they’re just tired or overexerted.
But, some of the runners do need medical help and a small number will need very serious medical assistance. Every race director needs to be prepared with a medical plan and an awareness of the most common medical issues.
As a general rule of thumb, said Chris Troyanos, ATC, the long-time medical coordina...