Runners beware: heat stroke can kill

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 14

Runners beware: heat stroke can kill

Many runners remember public lectures in New Zealand when a Honolulu heart specialist spoke of his successes in preventing coronary heart, attacks by long-distance running training leading up to the full marathon. Many who heard Dr Jack Scaff did not realise at the time his international standing as a cardiologist. Dr Scaff, called King Jack in Honolulu, is regarded with respect in many parts of the United States mainland for his marathon methods of deali n g with coronary troubles. New Zealanders who ran with Dr Scaff and his rehabilitated cardiacs in the recent huge Honolulu marathon were quick to find this out. Dr Scaff is in frequent demand to make flying visits to the United States to lecture on his methods. He is also director of his own medical centre in Honolulu which has a staff of 10. So it’s understandable that when Jack consents to give a public lecture in his home city he gets an attentive turnout. He said at one of these that the Honolulu Marathon Clinic had rehabiliated hundreds of heart victims in the past four years with no deaths of men up to the age of 70. These were runners who had their condition evaluated by a treadmill electrocardiograph before starting a training programme. However one of the biggest hazards to the runner is heatstroke. "‘Make no mistake, heat stroke can kill.” he said. He said heat stroke nearly always resulted from taking insufficient fluid on the run. “A runner needs up. to Boz of water every two or three miles in hot, humid conditions.” I can also give you my personal assurance that once you have had heat stroke you won’t want it a second time. I found out what it is like on the second day of my visit to Hawaii. This was a week before the marathon. I was among about 2000 runners attending the premarathon briefing and training run at the early morning marathon clinic. This is traditionally held in front of the big bandstand in historic Kapoilani Park in Waikiki. The run was on part of the beautiful marathon course, which includes Honolulu’s magnificent homes of “Millionaires’ mile.” We were all cautioned to drink copiously at the water fountains every two miles or so on the marathon route.

At least I had the excuse that the conditions were deceptively cool at the start about 8 a.m. But soon the temperature rose to about 83 deg F. and the humidity to about 80. The run was only a 13mile training outing. Along with hundreds of runners we fraternised along the way. It was not until with about a mile to go on the return journey that I encountered a “brick wall” more severe than anything I had known in any of my 19 or so marathons. Heat stroke occurs when your physical machinery is unable to get rid of the excessive core temperature due to insufficient fluid and insufficient sweating.

After the run there were 2000 assembled in the famous Kapoilani Park.

They were picnicking in the heat under the shade of the trees in front of the big bandstand from, which Jack Scaff delivers marathon clinic lectures. I thought I had taken enough water but ob- ■ fiously I had not properly heeded all the warnings. Within minutes of arriving at the Park everything hit me at once. The nausea and physical horror had nothing to do with what many of us have experienced at the end of the marathon. I knew I was going to pass out. But the problem was to find a place to hide and somewhere to lie down so as to avoid the public disgrace of collapsing within public view of Dr Scaff and his marathon clinic officials. I managed to stagger as far as a nearby park bench collapsing on it only hoping that the dozens of runners, including Dr Scaff, fraternising around me would not realise what had happened. Far past the stage where the panacea of cold beers could revive me I remained in a state of collapse on the park seat for nearly two hours. Shattered and ashamed and still hoping nobody had noticed I made a tottering attempt to rejoin human society. My folly in becoming

dehydrated was my own fault.

I have dealt with it in detail because it may be a warning to others: especially in New Zealand where the weather can be quickly and deceptively changeable. And also because there will be a number of marathons soon. The marathons include the Mount Hutt (April 16) and the “Fletcher” at Rotorua (April 21). Marathon organisers are going to be faced with this kind of problem more frequently as the proportion of runners to officials becomes larger. The last Mount Hutt marathon provided classic instances of runners falling victim to heat stroke. Although cool at first the weather later became deceptively heft and humid. There was such a big field that at times aid station attendants were unable to cope with the rush of runners arriving at once seeking water. But officials of the Mount Hutt marathon are on their guard against similar occurrences. The Long Distance Runners’ Club of New Zealand is well advanced with plans to have big teams Of officials to man aid stations in the annual Sedley Wells marathon and “half marathon” to starting and finishing at QE II Park on June 4. This is ideally run at a cool time of the year. Newcomers will find an informal and enjoyable introduction to fun running at the big Annual Cust run on April 22. As in the Park-to-Park you are free to run, walk or run and walk as slow as you like. For first time runners in the big annual “The Press” Park-to-Park event on May 6 here is your suggested third week’s training programme. You can modify it to suit your own standard of capability. Gradually increase the amount of running to walking. Day 1, Run and walk 25 minutes; Day 2, Walk briskly 30 minutes; Day 3, Run and walk 25 minutes; Day 4, Walk 30 minutes; Day 5, Run and walk 50 minutes; Day 6, Walk or rest; Day 7, Walk or rest.

RUNNERS’ DIARY

By /

John Drew