Final thoughts on Chicago

If Susan wants us to boycott next year's Chicago, I guess I'll run the 50km or 50 miler http://www.chicagoultra.org/

The Chicago Lakefront 50/50 has added a marathon distance for next weekend's ultra. The forecast is 47 to 55 degrees. The entry fee is only $40 and includes a tech shirt and finisher medal.

I'd run it if I wasn't running USMC. There's Coke and real food at the aid stations.

"The Marathon will start with the 50K runners at 8:30 AM 10/27/07 and will be another 3 loop course, ending back at the start/finish. Keep in mind that this is still an Ultra, meaning there will not be mile splits or some of the other amenities you may expect at a regular marathon. We will have a medal for the finishers but it will say Chicago Lakefront 50k. NO WHINERS PLEASE! The BAA has confirmed: Since our marathon course is USAT&F Certified, this race can be used for Boston Marathon qualification."

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The Chicago Marathon was cancelled at 3 hours ostensibly because the 3:30 to 4 hour runners were overheated and sought medical attention.
- there were maybe 10 serious illnesses - some from heatstroke, some from hyponatremia.
- some sort of triage would kept the emergency services from being overwhelmed.

In most races, the police are paid for traffic control. Perhaps, another reason for cancelling the race and shortening the course, was that keeping the course open more than 6 1/2 hours would require expensive police overtime.

The race director was arrogant and admitted no mistakes perhaps for liability reasons; it set up a PR nightmare. In hindsight, the RD should have asked the Fire Department to open hydrants use "summer heat wave" sprayers right before every aid station.

Perhaps, the race should have cancelled on Saturday. But since most of the money was already spent, I am not sure how much of a discount they could offer entrants for next year's race. I'm not sure if they have reserves to provide refunds.

Even if the amount of fluids were doubled to 25 (1/2 liter) bottles, it would not have been possible to pour 3.6 million cups or 103 cups per runner.
- runners are more tightly clustered because they were going slower and many were walking
- they would need more than double the volunteers to pour and serve cups when tens of thousands pass by in 20 minutes instead of being spread over 2 hours.
- they can't recruit additional volunteers with 3 days notice.
- this crowded, congested pack would move along and overwhelm all the 15 aid stations instead of just the first two
- they would need to rent twice the number of water tables and find stacking plates for pre-poured cups that are normally purchased months ahead of time (special cardboard sheets with a smooth finish so they don't crumble when soaked with water).

Options if they had the water supplies -
fill 8 ounces per cup instead of 4 ounces
hand out 1/2 litre water bottles (not sure how hazardous that is to run on or how much additional cases of hyponatremia you would have)

On the physical need for fluids and heatstroke.
- running speed (under 4 hrs) and body weight (>165lbs) are major factors in the risk for heatstroke;
- hydration does not prevent heatstroke
- heat makes you feel crappy and hot which makes you slow down but your core temp is fine.
- being thirsty will make you feel bad and slow down.
- fainting/collapsing may result from stopping suddenly due to low blood pressure -- the collapse rate is related to the ambient temp not the level of hydration. One would expect more collapses at aid stations because the runner would stop and wait for water to be pored.
- nausea/vomiting may be to due ingesting gels, Gatorade and bars.
- symptoms of heat exhaustion are similiar to symptoms of hyponatremia (nausea, vomiting, tingling and headache)
- hyponatremia and GI problems will slow you down
- mild dehydration (3 to 4 percent of bodyweight) doesn't impair performance or cause heatstroke
- losing a few lbs during the race may have give you a negative split (typically about 4lbs is loss from glycogen and fat burning)
- there no point in drinking much more than 1/2 liter per hour since it can't be absorbed (half of your fair share).

Here are the high temps for race day the past 10 years: 48, 59,67, 57, 50, 60 ,69, 51, 60, 62.
- our runners were expecting perfect marathon weather 9 days out (I thought they wrongly used the Sun low instead of the Sat. low)
- 72 degree highs was expected 7 days out
- 82 degree highs were expected 3 days out.
- 86 degree highs was expected 1 day out.
The actual temp was 88 degrees. 6 more degrees is a major increase.
Temps peak earlier in the day than expected.

Trivia: the aid stations are normally stocked 1800 IV bags, 1600 angio catheters and 42 ambulances.