title: An organized medical response for the Vancouver International Marathon (2006-2011): when the rubber hits the road.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We described an organized, on-site medical response for a large-scale urban marathon event and documented illness/injury rates as well as ambulance transfer rates at the Vancouver International Marathon (VIM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-series report of medical encounters was documented prospectively over a 6-yr period at the VIM. The planning and organization of the on-site medical response is the main focus of this report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 67,402 runners participated in the VIM from 2006 to 2011. Over the 6-yr period, 2,986 patient encounters were documented. The patient presentation rate for the series was 45/1,000, the ambulance transfer rate was 0.09-0.58/1,000, and the medical transfer rate was 0.37-1.09/1,000.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A coordinated on-site medical team covering the entire event site and race route was deployed to reduce the severity of illness and injury at a long-distance running event.
authors.affiliation: 1Schools of Nursing, University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; 2Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 3Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 4Undergraduate Student, University of British Columbia, Canada; 5Mass Gathering Medicine Interest Group, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Sheila A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Turris
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mui
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kerrie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Samuel J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gutman
mesh_terms: D001955:British Columbia; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012042:Registries; D012420:Running / Q000293:injuries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*