Obstacle Mud Runner - issue 11

ForEliteAtheletes toFunRunners obstaclemudrunner.co.uk 20 HEALTH : BODY testing ourselves Hypothermia Around this time last year, I was marshalling on a snowy Saturday morning at a popular OCR. I was overseeing the ditches with waist high water and ice about 3 inches thick. There happened to be a group of charity runners taking part that day, some very brave men and women wearing nothing but bikini’s and mankini’s all running the course in aid of ‘Children with Cancer’. “Mad,” we all thought, wrapped up in our numerous layers, “crazy fools, they’ll get hypothermia”. Well... Yes, they were at risk, but actually no more so than anyone else. Here’s the Science bit When the body loses more heat than it can produce then hypothermia can kick in. When the body’s core temperature drops it reduces normal functions of the nervous system and vital organs and, if left untreated, can cause complete shutdown of the organs. It is a medical emergency!! Right, enough of the scary stuff! Hypothermia is predominately caused by prolonged exposure to cold temperatures or immersion in water – Hello, winter OCR’s! We all know that we will be exposed to cold conditions and more water than we care for but we still do them. Some dress for the cold, others, maybe, could do better but actually we are ALL at risk, especially the slower ones amongst us (yes, that’s me). While the speedie’s amongst us manage to control their temperature to a point by continually running and keeping their body temperature raised to a level that can combat hypothermia, us snails, who are getting the most value for our money don’t tend to have that buffer. Did you know, we lose 90% of our body heat through our skin alone when exposed to the cold for long periods and the rest we breathe out? That can happen 25 times faster when immersed in water! Now, bear in mind that we don’t have the luxury of stripping off our wet clothing after every water obstacle, we are therefore prolonging our exposure to cold conditions. While we are all affected differently, our kit choice, our fitness levels, existing medical conditions and older age all play a part, however, there is one common factor that can affect all those running... Exhaustion. Being tired can lower the body’s tolerance to the cold. We can try and prevent hypothermia developing, the obvious way being, don’t put yourself at risk of lengthy exposure to cold and avoiding water but let’s be honest, we do OCRs to test ourselves, for charity or just because we can. But the good news is we can do something. We can carb load, keep our fluids up, keep out of the wind, limit the time you spend in that water and the big one, keep moving! When standing in a queue at an obstacle do some Jumping Jack’s, burpees, have a good old boogie or even give each other a muddy hug, keep that core warm! Keep an eye on your running buddies too, most will not be aware they are suffering with hypothermia. Look out for excessive shivering, confusion, slurred speech or mumbling and lack of coordination and if in doubt, get help from a nearby marshal or medic. Once you’ve crossed the finish line and collected your bling, get out of the cold. Strip off that wet clothing, get dry, snuggle up in that Dryrobe, Swimzi, sleeping bag or whatever you have and get warmed up with a nice cup of tea! Sorry peeps, alcohol is a big no no. Despite its warming feeling it can further heat loss. It’s worth mentioning that we can be at risk of hypothermia even in the summer, so always keep those eyes peeled for the welfare of other runners. So, back to the bikini/mankini group, yes there were body parts on show that no-one needed to see on that cold Saturday morning but in some respects, you did yourselves a favour with the lack of clothing, no prolonged exposure to the wet as your skin dried quickly and you all kept on moving. Well done, I take my hat off to you... Well, maybe not, it’s a bit cold out there! Look out for excessive shivering, confusion, slurred speech or mumbling and lack of coordination Did you know, we lose 90% of our body heat through our skin alone when exposed to the cold for long periods and the rest we breathe out? Normal body temperature is around 36.9°C. Hypothermia occurs when the core temperature hits 35°C or below. Patience Keet-Harris Ambulance Technician