Boston Marathon organisers to give CPR courses to runners...

At least 1,000 runners and family members will be trained in CPR the weekend before this year’s Boston Marathon, after local researchers found that immediate use of the procedure could have saved many of the runners who have died from cardiac arrest during a marathon or half-marathon. “The number-one predictor of survival of cardiac arrest during a race was whether a runner had access to bystander CPR,’’ said Dr. Aaron Baggish. Teaching basic chest compressions to marathon participants and race observers - a form of CPR than doesn’t involve mouth-to-mouth resuscitation - might lead to fewer deaths in the future, he added.

A Boston marathoner’s heart stopped a few years ago while he was passing through Kenmore Square, but he survived after a bystander gave him CPR. Hoping that this year’s runners will be as lucky if they collapse, the Boston Athletic Association, which organises the marathon, will offer free CPR training for participants and family members at the Boston Marathon Expo held the weekend before the April race.

While the marathon has 28 medical stations along the 26.2-mile course, roving volunteers every half-mile with portable defibrillators, and two medical tents at the finish line, runners trained in CPR can help “bridge the gap between racers and various trained medical professionals,’’ said Thomas Grilk, executive director of the BAA. The study highlighted the importance of speed in starting CPR, which was performed on survivors within an average of 90 seconds of their collapsing, compared with more than five minutes for those who died despite attempts to revive them. The 30-minute training - to be administered in cooperation with the American Red Cross and American Heart Association - is enough to teach the basics so that people can perform CPR until medical help arrives, said Grilk, even though it won’t provide formal certification in CPR. “This type of training can give someone the basics to actually save someone’s life,’’ said Dr. Erika Feller, a cardiologist at the University of Maryland Medical Centre. “In these situations, minutes really count.’’

On the local scene here in Cork, there was plenty of activity on CPR courses and defibrillators a few years ago after a runner collapsed at a race in Cobh. Since then, it seems to have been largely forgotten about again. Maybe it's time to start some new CPR courses? There are now a lot more defibrillators dotted around the place than there used to be. No matter where you are, you might consider getting your club to start a CPR course or take one yourself.

In the meantime, here is a new advert from the British Heart Foundation with Vinny Jones showing his 'softer' side...