Forums >Racing>Any RA'ers affected? "Las Vegas marathon runners say they were sickened"
I doubt anything in the water can make her that sick that quickly. I talked with my friend who was there and he said the Vegas water tastes metallic, that's how it is. It's more likely that many of these people are morning runners. Given the race is in the evening, they had all day to fuel up and hydrate. The throwing up and stomach issues could be the result of eating too much just before the race.
Regardless of how they clean it, a trashcan is NOT food-grade plastic. All sorts of nastiness could seep out of the plastic and into the water. They should not be doing that.
+1. And leaching aside, a roto-molded trash can very likely has a film of mold release compound all over it. Even if lined, the polypropylene trash bag also isn't intended to house food or drink, so it also is likely to have not-nice chemicals on its inner and outer surfaces. In fact, many trash bags have a compound applied to prevent adhesion and facilitate separation and opening.
"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."
-- Dick LeBeau
Trash bags are not food-quality plastic either. It is not about filth, it is about the chemicals involved and leachability. Do you know anything about the leaching of chemicals from plastic? Do you understand why they have food-quality plastic to begin with?
Trash bags are not food-quality plastic either.
It is not about filth, it is about the chemicals involved and leachability. Do you know anything about the leaching of chemicals from plastic? Do you understand why they have food-quality plastic to begin with?
Yawn... seriously, this is what you are concerned with? In this time frame it's not even an issue. i was merely pointing out how I didn't agree with the fear. Oh, and it's easily possible, but unlikely to be bacterial, although it could be staph as that takes less than 20 minutes but super unlikely just from water... unless someone's poor sanitation is an issue.
rectumdamnnearkilledem
Here's something interesting I read on a couple of accounts...volunteers were filling cups from the containers with bare hands...so maybe bacterial couldn't be ruled-out. I was thinking something like Noro/Norwalk-like would make people pretty sick with some of the symptoms I've been reading, but I think that has something like a 24-48 hour window from infection to onset of symptoms.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
Why is it sideways?
I usually just lurk around here, but thought I'd chime in on this one--I ran Vegas with two other people and none of us got sick (we didn't stop at every aid station, but did stop ~4 times, usually Cytomax but water at least once). I also think it would take longer for sickness from contaminated water to show up...I have first hand experience observing someone I was with on a business trip to Mexico drink something made with local water (we warned him not to!), and it was several hours (4-5 at least) before he got sick from it.
It is weird that so many runners got sick so there may have been something funny going on, but I wonder if it wasn't maybe some undercooked something or other at the pre-race brunch that caused it (we didn't do the race-sponsored pasta party the night before or brunch the day of). Or just eating too much during the day...we ate a big breakfast but then just had a quick snack before the race, no lunch/dinner. Not to say the race was perfect--it definitely suffered from overcrowding & organizational issues, but I don't think it was the water that made people sick.
Feeling the growl again
Yawn... seriously, this is what you are concerned with? In this time frame it's not even an issue.
Sources? Proof?
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
I was no where near Vegas yet I've been sickened by what I've read. Despite this, R&R didn't loose me as a potential customer. I was never interested in their product in the first place.
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Here's a purported chart of onset speed for some gastro stuff: http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/foodborneillness/foodborneillnessfoodbornepathogensnaturaltoxins/badbugbook/ucm071342.htm
On that page, the fastest onset (e.g., sub 1hr) is upper GI, neurological, allergic, and shellfish toxins.
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
not bad for mile 25
I agree, the water should not have been kept in non-food-grade plastic and served with bare hands, but she was treated for dehydration and hypothermia. Maybe she was dehydrated because she didn't like the taste of the water.
shellfish toxins.
I am not a fan of toxins that continually put themselves before others
2017 Goals1) Run more than 231 miles2) Be ready for HM in the spring
Which ones do you prefer?
Polyphenols, without hesitation.
3 months til Masters
Just two thoughts. 1) If it was dozens of people around the same place in the race, I find it hard to believe there wasn't some common source. 2) I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be an allergic reaction. The percentage is about right for many allergies within the general population...a reaction is possible to the plastics in the cans/gloves/trash bags. It could be more concentrated due to the water soaking in it vs just touching in everyday life in addition to it being ingested vs only touching in with you skin. This could account for people who have reactions to it without previous issues with plastics.
2023 Goals
Marathon Sub 2:37 (CIM) 2:41:18
10k Sub 35:00 (Victory 10k 34:19)
5k Sub 16:00 (Hot Dash 5k in March (16:48), Brian Kraft in May (16:20), Twilight 5000 in July and August (16:20/16:25 Both heat index 102-103F)
Sub 1:16 Half Marathon City of Lakes Half Marathon 1:15:47)
Sub 56:30 in 10 mile (Twin Cities 10 mile, Canceled due to weather, 56:35 as a workout)
2024 Goals
Sub 2:37 Marathon
Sub 1:15 Half
Sub 34 10k
Sub 16 5k
Ha, and I was kind of expecting something about carbon-hydroxy compounds....