T
Tracey Fox
Guest
Hello,
I ran the Casino Niagara International Marathon on Sunday with a
friend. I enjoyed running this BEAUTIFUL scenic
course and I appreciated the plentiful water and gatorade stops along
the way. The race expo was good too!
However, there were 2 major drawbacks that I would like to mention for
the race organizers' consideration:
a) there was no sweep bus/van to take injured/sick/tired runners back to
the finish line
b) no medical assistance was provided (outside of a few folks on bicycles)
My friend got sick while running and quit at mile 11. She walked to
mile 13 hoping that she could get
on a sweep bus back to the finish line and there was none. There she
was told by some associated
with the race that she would have to walk to mile 20 for help, an
impossibility given how ill she was. Additionally,
she was told that she could get on an ambulance but had to pay $500 to
get on. She was directed into a
tent thinking someone would help her but instead she was left alone (wet
and cold) for 45 minutes
and passed out. Luckily, another run came by and saw that she was in
need of help. This person was
able to find her a ride back to the finish line. Mind you, perfect
strangers who were driving by at the time were willing
to take responsibility for her well being. In fact, they waited with
her at the finish line until she was
able to meet up with her parents. I and her family are grateful for
their kindness and good show of
humanity!
I realize that when you sign a waiver to run a marathon it's based on an
understanding that you
are in good health and can complete the race. However, I would like to
think that any race organization would
exercise good judgement and reason in assisting sick, tired, and/or
injured folks. At least provide
a sweep bus/van to get folks to the finish line if they are in need of help.
My friend is doing well and she will always remember the kindness of
these good samaritans from
Waterloo. May God Bless them!!!
It was a memorable run for both of us, but of different sorts...
Tracey
I ran the Casino Niagara International Marathon on Sunday with a
friend. I enjoyed running this BEAUTIFUL scenic
course and I appreciated the plentiful water and gatorade stops along
the way. The race expo was good too!
However, there were 2 major drawbacks that I would like to mention for
the race organizers' consideration:
a) there was no sweep bus/van to take injured/sick/tired runners back to
the finish line
b) no medical assistance was provided (outside of a few folks on bicycles)
My friend got sick while running and quit at mile 11. She walked to
mile 13 hoping that she could get
on a sweep bus back to the finish line and there was none. There she
was told by some associated
with the race that she would have to walk to mile 20 for help, an
impossibility given how ill she was. Additionally,
she was told that she could get on an ambulance but had to pay $500 to
get on. She was directed into a
tent thinking someone would help her but instead she was left alone (wet
and cold) for 45 minutes
and passed out. Luckily, another run came by and saw that she was in
need of help. This person was
able to find her a ride back to the finish line. Mind you, perfect
strangers who were driving by at the time were willing
to take responsibility for her well being. In fact, they waited with
her at the finish line until she was
able to meet up with her parents. I and her family are grateful for
their kindness and good show of
humanity!
I realize that when you sign a waiver to run a marathon it's based on an
understanding that you
are in good health and can complete the race. However, I would like to
think that any race organization would
exercise good judgement and reason in assisting sick, tired, and/or
injured folks. At least provide
a sweep bus/van to get folks to the finish line if they are in need of help.
My friend is doing well and she will always remember the kindness of
these good samaritans from
Waterloo. May God Bless them!!!
It was a memorable run for both of us, but of different sorts...
Tracey