Let's put more emphasis on "behavior management" for the two weeks before the marathon for the success of the marathon in the corona wreck

You should focus on behavior management as much as physical condition management

At the Nagoya Women's Marathon held in March, measures were taken to keep a distance of 1m between runners when waiting for the start. All runners and staff wore masks (photographed by Ryosuke Moju)

Finally, starting with the Kanazawa Marathon at the end of this month (October 31st), several marathons with over 10,000 people will resume. In order to make the event a success during this corona crisis, there is no doubt that each runner's mindset will be important. In fact, what should we be aware of in order to carry out and continue the race while protecting ourselves and those around us from infectious diseases? We spoke with Dr. Ryoji Kasatsugu, a professor at Nara University of Education, who serves as the Head of the Relief Committee for the Nara Marathon scheduled for December 12, and is involved in the medical teams for many triathlon events, including the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. I heard. (Partial excerpt from the article in the November issue of Running Magazine Creel) ――Can you tell us again what runners should be aware of when facing a race in this corona crisis?　In order to operate the tournament safely and securely, it is important to "minimize the possibility that the people who gather at the venue have the virus". Therefore, what I would like you to focus on the most is "behavior management for the two weeks before the competition." It is of course important to take care of your physical condition, such as taking your temperature every day. I would like people to prioritize “behavior management,” such as avoiding crowds, avoiding eating and drinking in large numbers and for long periods of time, and refraining from activities that pose a risk of infection as much as possible. ――The two weeks corresponds to the incubation period of the new coronavirus. that's right. There is data that the incubation period is 12 days in a period that covers 95% of people, and it is said that the period until the onset of symptoms is short for the delta strain. The CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) says 10 days, but 2 weeks is more reliable. ――In fact, many competitions require participants to manage their health using health check sheets and apps for about 2 weeks to 10 days. mosquito. This virus is said to be infectious about two days before the onset of symptoms. In other words, even if symptoms do not appear on the day of the race, it is possible that the virus has multiplied in the body and is becoming more contagious. For the same reason, the PCR test before the race is also negative at the time of the test, but it does not prove that it will be negative on the day of the race. --That's why it's important to take action to reduce the possibility of having the virus in advance.　Two weeks in advance, we will conduct thorough behavior management to minimize the amount of exposure to the virus and bring the risk of infection close to zero. In addition to that, I will thoroughly manage my physical condition, such as taking my body temperature every day and taking enough meals and sleep. By doing so, we can bring the tournament closer to a “gathering of people who are not infected”. ――This is something that everyone involved in the event, including the organizers and volunteers, must be aware of, not just runners. yes. This way of thinking is also connected to the significance of holding the tournament, "What is the purpose of holding the tournament?" The marathon is an event that serves as one target for the maintenance and improvement of citizens' health and health promotion. Towards that end, each runner should pay attention to their physical condition on a daily basis, be aware of infection and actions that are associated with the risk of infection, and train carefully to improve their health. can. I believe that the Citizens Marathon has such significance. It is important to carefully explain such significance to the host municipalities and residents. ――During the period when the delta strain was prevalent, it was pointed out that there was an increase in domestic infections. Even if you are careful about your behavior, you may be infected by someone you live with. I believe that the two-week behavioral management for these events will also contribute to reducing the risk of infection between family members and people living together. For example, school events such as sports festivals, cultural festivals, and school excursions are the few events in a child's life. In order to realize this, if we try to manage the behavior of each student at home, parents will be able to respond to various situations such as ``Avoid going shopping in a crowd'' and ``Let's ventilate the room well''. care should be taken to reduce the risk of exposure to