Nearly 2,500 runners from fifty nations participated in this year’s Zugspitz Ultratrail run in Bavaria. The course stretched 101.4 kilometers through mountainous alpine meadows, valleys, ridgetops, and alongside wild horses. Such events require an amazing amount of planning. As a runner, you may notice the beautiful web design of the race page, the free gear, the aid station food selections, and the finish line festivities. Among all the detail, however, there is an often overlooked but essential component of any organized trail run: the medical response teams.
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During the Zugspitz Ultratrail Run, I shadowed Medical Crew GbR, a medical response group that oversees planning for medical operations. They work alongside and coordinate with other teams like mountain patrol, mountain rescue services, emergency services and the event organizers.
“It is important that we all work very close together” explains Matthias Hoeter, managing director of Medical Crew. “The main goal is to provide the quickest possible emergency and general health care to the event participants at any time and in any terrain.”
Runners may not be fully aware of how much time, dedication and preparation goes into assuring their safety and well-being. Pre-race setup for Medical Crew is about two days. But preparation for any single event begins much earlier. Claudius Wurm, also managing director, personally runs the courses to gain perspective on the challenges that will face runners and identify difficult race sections. Based on this, he strategically plans where to stage equipment and higher level medical personnel to have expertise and supplies in the right locations.
If you’re thinking that once the race starts at 5am, the crew sits back waiting for something to happen - think again. There is always something happening in the medical coordination tent, from 5am to about 9:30am the next day. According to Matthias, “Our tasks during the event consist of the mobile operation centre in the start and finish area, mobile rescue and first aid station in the finish area, general health and emergency care on the course through mobile crews and the coordination of emergency response”. For Matthias and Claudius, it’s 24+ hours of a phone in one hand and radio in the other with at least twenty things to do and fifty more decisions to make. Cups full of coffee substitute for fluffy pillows and a good night’s sleep. Over the course of the race, Medical Crew will respond to an average of 800-1000 calls.
“It is important that we all work very close together” explains Matthias Hoeter, managing director of Medical Crew. “The main goal is to provide the quickest possible emergency and general health care to the event participants at any time and in any terrain.”
Runners may not be fully aware of how much time, dedication and preparation goes into assuring their safety and well-being. Pre-race setup for Medical Crew is about two days. But preparation for any single event begins much earlier. Claudius Wurm, also managing director, personally runs the courses to gain perspective on the challenges that will face runners and identify difficult race sections. Based on this, he strategically plans where to stage equipment and higher level medical personnel to have expertise and supplies in the right locations.
If you’re thinking that once the race starts at 5am, the crew sits back waiting for something to happen - think again. There is always something happening in the medical coordination tent, from 5am to about 9:30am the next day. According to Matthias, “Our tasks during the event consist of the mobile operation centre in the start and finish area, mobile rescue and first aid station in the finish area, general health and emergency care on the course through mobile crews and the coordination of emergency response”. For Matthias and Claudius, it’s 24+ hours of a phone in one hand and radio in the other with at least twenty things to do and fifty more decisions to make. Cups full of coffee substitute for fluffy pillows and a good night’s sleep. Over the course of the race, Medical Crew will respond to an average of 800-1000 calls.
Matthias Hoeter (front) and Claudius Wurm (behind) coordinate the medical operations at the start/finish area of the race with undivided attention for nearly 26 hours
But let’s not forget about the crew outside the tent. These dedicated team members are out in the elements, treating and assessing injury after injury, shifting from one medical treatment station to the next. Their crews credentials are impressive: EMT’s, paramedics, nurses, and physicians make up the roster. Some common traits among every member were immediately apparent to me. They are all professional, highly qualified, passionate, and friendly - even after 24 hours of solid work with no sleep and wet clothes. “Besides our focus on high standards of medical education, as well as the physical and psychological performance,” says Matthias, “We put a large focus on the passion and on the empathy of our crew members.”
Medical Crew is not a newcomer to the organized outdoor sport event scene. Years of experience are reflected by carefully tuned response kits that include highly organized, easy-to-access first aid items and advanced airway kits with specialty lightweight laryngoscopes. Amazingly, these kits are designed to fit into backpacks for patient response in remote locations.
Concern for the well being and safety of runners extends beyond race day. Medical Crew recently designed and hosted a specialty wilderness first aid course for trail runners. I believe that events like this will continue to have positive effects throughout the running community, since prevention and awareness are key to mitigating the risks of trail running.
A wide range of injuries and illnesses occur at every event, from blisters to fractures, even CPR. The most common issues are circulatory, muscular fatigue, and tendon and ligament problems. While wisdom is gained through experience, Medical Crew does have some advice to share with burgeoning runners:
Medical Crew is not a newcomer to the organized outdoor sport event scene. Years of experience are reflected by carefully tuned response kits that include highly organized, easy-to-access first aid items and advanced airway kits with specialty lightweight laryngoscopes. Amazingly, these kits are designed to fit into backpacks for patient response in remote locations.
Concern for the well being and safety of runners extends beyond race day. Medical Crew recently designed and hosted a specialty wilderness first aid course for trail runners. I believe that events like this will continue to have positive effects throughout the running community, since prevention and awareness are key to mitigating the risks of trail running.
A wide range of injuries and illnesses occur at every event, from blisters to fractures, even CPR. The most common issues are circulatory, muscular fatigue, and tendon and ligament problems. While wisdom is gained through experience, Medical Crew does have some advice to share with burgeoning runners:
- Be aware of the physical and psychological requirements of a race/trail
- Know your limits and recognize signals from your body telling you to stop
- Be aware that nutrition and fluid intake may have to be adjusted based on the race, weather, your current physical condition.
- Always carry the required equipment. Keep this equipment complete and operational during the entire race.
- If you have any discomfort or insecurity about your well-being or situation, consider moving towards easily accessible points on the trail. i.e. food stations, trailheads, roads.
The total elevation gain for the Zugspitz Ultratrail Run was 5,412 vertical meters. As night fell, the weather made a turn for worse with torrents of rain and low temperatures, increasing the suffer scale. Just part of the game, isn’t it? To suffer and push on. High tolerance for suffering is one of the many aspects that make a runner. Like runners, tolerance for suffering also marks the wilderness medical provider. Not every medical provider can handle such weather extremes, terrain complexities, physical demands, and sole patient responsibility. It’s what makes the people of Medical Crew, mountain rescue, ski patrol, and park rangers so unique.
So the next time you sign up for an organized trail event, remember to think of the medical team that has your safety in mind. It is often a thankless job - maybe you can thank the next one you see.
As always, stay safe and enjoy many adventures from your friends at Base Medical.
Written by Teal Brooks, Base Medical CEO and Wilderness Paramedic
Medical Crew GbR and more information can be found at: http://www.medical-crew.com/WordPress/
So the next time you sign up for an organized trail event, remember to think of the medical team that has your safety in mind. It is often a thankless job - maybe you can thank the next one you see.
As always, stay safe and enjoy many adventures from your friends at Base Medical.
Written by Teal Brooks, Base Medical CEO and Wilderness Paramedic
Medical Crew GbR and more information can be found at: http://www.medical-crew.com/WordPress/
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- Is Drinking Too Much Water Dangerous For Trail Runners?
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