Fire at Challenged Athletes Foundation

The unfortunate news this morning is that the Challenged Athletes Foundation office suffered a serious fire last night. No word on the cause or on the amount of the loss. At least from the initial reports, no one was injured.

If you’re not familiar with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, it’s one of those charities that continually reminds us that there is more to life than just training and racing; that the great part of life is breaking down barriers and helping others exceed their perceived ‘limitations’.

CAF has focused on helping people with disabilites that may not have the resources to participate in sports, the financial backing and equipment in order to do so. Want a “reality” check? Watch a guy with a leg prothesis run down Ali’i Drive in Kona during the Ironman, passing a bunch of two-legged triathletes. Makes all that self-centered whining we all occassionally do seem, well, uhm…like self-centered whining…

CAF has been a big part of my life; I owe my marriage to the fact that CAF athletes inspire people everyday to better themselves -  all people, regardless of physical abilities.

I met my wife standing in line to check-in at the 2002 California Half Ironman in Oceanside, California. Although she blew me off, wouldn’t give me the time of day, much less a last name or phone number, our paths crossed again, and the rest, as they say, is history.

What does the Challenged Athletes Foundation have to do with that meeting? Laura was inspired to get into triathlons after watching a triathlonthat a friend was racing in and was amazed by the determination of one triathlete – Jeremy Newman , a paraplegic who literally crawled up a muddy boat ramp in order to get to the swim-bike transition area. After witnessing that feat of determination, she began her journey into the multi-sport lifestyle.

Hyponatremia in Endurance Sports

What is hyponatremia?
Hyponatremia, or low blood sodium, is a growing concern among medical staff at endurance events such as marathons and long-distance triathlons. While most cases of hyponatremia are mild and may have no symptoms at all, more serious cases can lead to significant medical problems such as seizures, swelling or the brain or even death.
A study done at the 2002 Boston Marathon found that about 13% of athletes participating in the study had mild hyponatremia after the race based on analysis of a blood sample taken at the finish line. Most of these runners had no symptoms but there was one runner died from hyponatremia.

Who is at risk?
Hyponatremia typically occurs in runners and triathletes that drink too much fluid before and during the race. It usually occurs in slower participants because they are able to drink more fluid than they lose in sweat and urine. Several cases have made national headlines including a woman the the 2002 Boston Marathon and more recently, a young mother participating in a radio contest that involved drinking large amounts of water in a short period of time.
Drinking too much water or sports drinks can dilute the level of sodium in the blood. In most cases, the kidneys handle the excess fluid intake by producing more urine. However, in athletes that develop hyponatremia, the kidneys are not able to process the extra fluid.

Hyponatremia Risk Factors
Female runners
Slower runners (> 4 hours for marathon)
Lower body-mass or weight
Drinking more than 3 liters during race
Drinking at every aid station
From Christopher SD, et al “Hyponatremia among Marathon Runners in the Boston Marathon” , NEJM

Avoiding Hyponatremia
Hyponatremia can be prevented by avoiding excessive fluid intake during the race. The goal is to try to match your fluid loss through sweating. Trying to take in fluids that have a higher sodium content may help prevent hyponatremia, although we have seen some cases of hyponatremia in triathletes that only drank sports drinks, and not water, during the race.