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Risks of running an ultra (Read 480 times)

HoosierDaddy


GreyBeard

    Was browsing the Hardrock website and linked to a page regarding a runner who collapsed a few days after the event: http://www.geocities.com/~ultrarun/reports/Hardrock-Joel.htm I realize any time you engage in physical activity you are at a greater risk than when you are resting. I guess in this gentleman's case I am not correlating the event/activity with the cause of death. I am interested in trying to complete at least one 100 miler so this got me wondering what are the risks and why ....thoughts from those medically inclined ?

    2020

    • Black Canyon 100k
    • RRR
    • Zane Grey 100k
    • High Lonesome 100
    • Wyoming Range 100 (?)
    • The Bear 100
    • Javelina Jundred (?)
      Hardrock is not like any other race. For this reason, they have very stringent qualifications you must meet in order to compete. I think most 100s have restrictions on entry. I think these restrictions help to mitigate health risks by assuring that competitors have properly trained their bodies for such an event. I am not medically inclined, so I am interested to hear what others have to say are direct risks.
        Joel also had extraordinarily high blood pressure before the race... somewhere around 240/180 in some accounts I've read. Ultrarunners definitely face more health/life risks than normal road racers, but instances of death during them is rare. I personally know people who've a) spent days in a coma due to hyponatremia, and b)spent days in the ICU due to rhabdomyolosis, secondary to taking too much Ibuprofen during a 24 hour race... but that's only two people out of thousands. Typical risks of high alpine mountain 100s like Hardrock/Wasatch/Leadville: - Lightning - Falls - Hypothermia - Hyponatremia - Kidney Failure - HAPE - High Altitude Pulmonary Edema - HACE - High Altitude Cerebral Edema - Digestive issues (diarrhea, vomiting, etc) Some of these risks are *very* low, some are pretty common. - Chris