title: Lack of awareness of fluid needs among participants at a midwest marathon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Marathon running has become popular, particularly among inexperienced runners.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Many marathoners are inexperienced and lack concern for potential complications of marathon running.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  In sum, 419 runners completed a survey on a variety of topics regarding training for a marathon and hydration strategies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 211 females (38.3 ± 9.1 years old) and 208 males (41.6 ± 11.0 years old) participated. They trained for 6.8 ± 4.3 months and had run for 9.8 ± 9.1 years; 33.5% had no marathon experience and 16.9% had run 1 marathon. Of the injuries reported, 77.6% and 72.9% were minor musculoskeletal injuries during the current and previous running seasons, respectively. Of the 278 runners who had run a marathon, 54 (19.0%) had been treated in the medical tent, 31.5% of whom for dehydration. Furthermore, 54.9% and 64.3% of the survey participants were "not at all" concerned with musculoskeletal injury and hyponatremia, respectively. Also, 88.7% did not know their sweat rate; 67.8% did not weigh themselves; and 81.3% had no other method of hydration assessment. No significant correlations were found between concern for hyponatremia and age, sex, or experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most participants were inexperienced, lacked concern for injury or hyponatremia, and were not using methods of hydration assessment.
authors.affiliation: Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chiampas
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jaworski
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Passe