From 5 000 volunteers at refreshment stations along the 85.91km route at the 97th Comrades Marathon to about 75 doctors at the medical centre, the more than 20 500 runners participating on Sunday will be well taken care of.
This year’s Up Run will start at 5.30am at Durban’s City Hall and end 12 hours later at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg.
Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) chairperson Mqondisi Ngcobo on Thursday wished all participants a great run on June 9.
“We have catered in every possible way to make the 97th Comrades Marathon a memorable and hassle-free experience for our runners,” he said.
The CMA said there would be 48 fully stocked refreshment stations along the route, dispensing Thirsti water, Thirsti sports drink, Coke, Asemzansi Amahewu, Bavaria Malt, Salticrax, energy bars, energy biscuits, bananas, oranges and cooked potatoes.
“These stations will be powered by nearly 5 000 volunteers.”
Ngcobo said the CMA would have 1 000 marshals along the route and an additional 200 community marshals would assist the SAPS, metro police, the CMA’s security service provider and other law enforcement officials on Sunday.
The CMA said while medical facilities would be provided by the CMA, it was still the responsibility of runners to take care of their own health.
“It’s important to remember that medical attention is retroactive – that is, we only respond when a runner is in trouble.”
Netcare 911 will provide 16 ambulances equipped with satellite tracking; six rapid response vehicles with advanced life support paramedics and full emergency equipment; six motorbikes with paramedics; and one air rescue helicopter.
“It’s important to note that all calls for medical assistance for runners should be made to the Netcare 911 medical emergency number 082 911 or logged on the Netcare app.”
The CMA said there were eight Netcare medical stations and eight physio stations on route.
“The medical facility at the finish venue will include critical care and laboratory facilities manned by approximately 75 doctors and 20 nurses.
“There will also be a three-bed, fully equipped ICU-type resuscitation area,” said the CMA, adding that there would be an emergency care doctor and a paramedic at the finish line for athletes in severe trouble.
The CMA said there would also be an advanced life-support paramedic at the end of the last kilometre and a 40-bed physiotherapy tent at the finish venue, while public first aid would be provided by Netcare at the finish venue.
“Netcare St Augustine’s and Umhlanga hospitals in Durban and Netcare St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg will be our primary referral hospitals, as in the past.”
There will be 62 buses to transport runners who do not make the cut-off times. “A runner who makes use of this facility can under no circumstance, rejoin the race or collect a finisher’s medal.”
The Mercury