Over the past 18 months we have been in close contact with the major Marathons around the world, in particular Chicago, London, Boston and Berlin. Working together, the International Institute for Race Medicine (IIRM) was formed and will be launched in Summer 2013. The IIRM has a leadership team formed from the leading minds and physicians in marathon and race medicine from around the world. The purpose of the IIRM is to promote best practice for medical techniques and planning, including the ongoing research and testing of new track side methods. The Foundation have actively supported the IIRM with seed funding to ensure its successful launch.
This year the IIRM was, for the first time, introduced to the international stage at the London Marathon Medical Conference by Pierre D’Hemecourt, the current medical director of the Boston Marathon and chairman of the IIRM for 2013. This conference is attended by many leading doctors, event directors and researchers from all over the world.
The Foundation will continue to financially and professionally support the IIRM moving into 2014 with the aim of ensuring that these best practices are made easily available and accessible to small and medium sizes races in the UK and eventually around the world. The primary focus of 2013 will be to collate these practices into a distance learning module which can be accessed via the IIRM’s website – www.RaceMedicine.org. In time it is hoped that all Marathon organisers and doctors will be able to learn from the larger events via the IIRM and implement these best practices both easily and economically.
Some Photos from the London Marathon 2013:
Phil Watson and George Champas comparing notes with St Johns Ambulance in the main medical tent at the finish line. George is the Medical Director of the Chicago Marathon and was keen to hear how their practices differed.
Phil Watson (Loughborough University), Doug Casa (Korey Stringer Institute) and Courtney Kipps (London Marathon) discussing heat illness and testing electronic thermometers at on of the medical tents.
Phil Watson (Loughborough University) and George Champas (Chicago Marathon) discuss medical provisions right at the finishing line just as the first elite runners come home.
Pierre D’Hemecourt giving the IIRM presentation at the London Marathon Medical Conference the day before the actual race. 300 people attended the event. (Apologies for the poor photograph)