I would NEVER say an RD should ever give opinions to any racer about should they race, even if they are in perfect shape.
I would NEVER say an RD should ever give opinions to any racer about should they race, even if they are in perfect shape.
I thought that was the original question. From an RD asking what we would do.
Frank, Isn’t that kind of like saying I won’t get out of the way of a car speeding down a sidewalk because he should not be there? If the RD is aware and asked about such a thing they should prevent the problem from happening. It would be one thing if the guy said I have a runny nose. A few years ago I did a race and a guy competed (tried to) with a recently dislocated/separated shoulder. He made it about 150 yards into the swim and had issues. Then a bunch of the water safety personel were occupied taking care of him. What if some one else needed help? That irresponsible guy could cost some one else their life.
let him race… Last summer I was very ill the week going into the race. It was awful. my training came to a halt and I was extremely sore all the time. Race day came on Sunday and I maybe felt 75%. I was coughing a lot too. I ended up winning and setting a course record. The body is weird. I have ran some of my fastest track times during the winter when I have been well under the weather.
There’s a difference between racing with a cold and racing with pneumonia.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” applies to pneumonia, too, except let’s not forget that getting stronger isn’t the only possible outcome in that sentence.
Cue R10C to chime in by screaming hysterically about lawsuits and how some person is going to sue an RD some day for failing to provide Nyquil and Kleenex at aid stations and why are people like this and they fail to take personal responsibility for their own actions and you don’t know how hard it is to be an RD with all of the ridiculous demands that participants put on RD’s and the stupid things they do and I don’t even know why I choose to be an RD because it its so hard dealing with everybody else and why can’t everybody be JUST LIKE ME … in 3, 2, 1.
For the OP, if the guy is really a friend, I think you need to seriously implore him not to race. I would also inquire as to whether or not he’s contagious and maybe ask him to bring in proof that he is not contagious before you let him race. Being dumb enough to risk your own life is one thing, risking others is another. Finally, maybe call your insurer to see whether this impacts your coverage.
let him race… Last summer I was very ill the week going into the race. It was awful. my training came to a halt and I was extremely sore all the time. Race day came on Sunday and I maybe felt 75%. I was coughing a lot too. I ended up winning and setting a course record. The body is weird. I have ran some of my fastest track times during the winter when I have been well under the weather.
There’s a difference between racing with a cold and racing with pneumonia.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” applies to pneumonia, too, except let’s not forget that getting stronger isn’t the only possible outcome in that sentence.
Cold tends to be in the head, nose. Pneumonia is in the lungs. Cold, race, above. Pneumonia, rest, below
essentially agreeing that he is making a choice to participate with what could be considered a life threatening medical condition, and that he holds the event harmless. we pretty much sign the same thing on most waivers, save for the stated condition already know to exist.
this is simply an additional level of acceptance of risk on the athlete’s part to cover me since i was made aware of the situation in advance of the event.
- Offer him a refund or free entry into another of your races.
- Send him a link to this discussion and tell him to read DaveInCanada’s experience!