COMRADES MARATHON MEDIA RELEASE NO. 2005/25
IMPORTANT MEDICAL
RESEARCH PROJECT TO BE
CONDUCTED AT 2005
COMRADES MARATHON

Prof Tim Noakes of the Sports Science Institute at UCT, in conjunction with Dr Jeremy
Boulter of the Comrades Marathon Medical Portfolio, will be conducting a clinical trial
on the management of the collapsed ultra-marathon runner at the 2005 Comrades
Marathon. This will be the largest trial ever undertaken at the end of an ultra-
marathon. The aim of the trial will be to establish the optimal means of resuscitating
collapsed runners.

The focus will be on the two major problems, namely over-hydration and dehydration, and the best, most
effective method of treatment for collapsed runners. Runners will be assessed by doctors on admission to
the medical tent, and then assigned, on a random basis, to one of five different treatment protocols, and
their response and recovery rate recorded.  Every runner’s condition and response will be closely monitored
at all times and any necessary treatment and/or change in management will be instituted immediately, if
necessary. Any runner admitted to the tent with any other medical problem other than the two mentioned,
will not be part of the trail, and they will be treated appropriately, based on their individual requirements.

As a part of this trial every runner will be weighed at the point of race registration. Electronic scales will be
linked up to the Mr Price computer system and placed on the ChampionChip mats at the registration points.
As the runner stands on the scales, their weight will automatically be recorded, along with their
ChampionChip number.  Runners who are admitted to the Medical Tent will then be weighed again to give
an indication as to the runner’s state of hydration, to be used in conjunction with blood tests performed in
the tent.  A control group of runners will also be weighed at the finish line to use as a comparison.

To comply with the Ethical rules regarding trials, it will be necessary to obtain a signed consent from every
runner, in terms of which they agree to participate in the trial. All runners will be asked to sign the consent
document at the point of race registration, either at the Flora Comrades Experience or Comrades House.  
Runners’ consent will be entered onto the computer, and this information will be available to the Medical
tent, on race day.  

Dr Jeremy Boulter, convenor of the Comrades Marathon Medical Portfolio has emphasized that “The trial will
NOT compromise the health of any runner at all, as every runner will receive one of the forms of treatment
that is currently considered appropriate – the aim is to ascertain which of these is the best.  Also that any
runner who declines to participate in the trial, but ends up in the Medical Tent will be treated in exactly the
same manner as runners have been treated in the past.   However we are hoping to have every runners’
cooperation and support.”

Prof Tim Noakes stressed the importance of the exercise, “This trial could well produce results which will
form the basis of guidelines for the medical treatment of ultra-marathon runners worldwide, putting the
Sports Science Instititute at UCT and the Comrades Marathon at the forefront of the field on a world basis.  I
urge all runners to agree to participate in the trial in the unfortunate event should they run into trouble and
end up in the Medical Tent.”

Netcare 911 is the official Medical & Emergency Services Partner of the Comrades Marathon Association,
and Adcock Ingram is the Official Supplier to the Medical Tent.
_______________________

Statement Release on Wednesday, 20 April 2005
For further information     Comrades Marathon Association
             
Running