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Xtri Chats With Kona Med Tent Volunteer, Dr. Sonny Gill
By Betsy Delcour
11/5/2008 |
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Race day volunteers are an invaluable part of any race experience, but especially the Ironman experience. From changing tents to aid stations, they give us encouragement and assistance in our quest to get to the finish line. But sometimes, the finish line comes with its own issues after a full day of racing. Enter the medical tent volunteers. Their job is perhaps most important, potentially saving lives of athletes who have battled against heat, exertion and nutrition issues. We recently had the chance to talk with Dr. Sonny Gill, a triathlete himself, who worked the med tent in Kona. Here's what he had to say about that experience, how he decided to volunteer and how he balances work, family and training...
1. Sonny, thanks for chatting with us! So you are a triathlete yourself, but you also do some pretty important work behind the scenes. Can you tell us about it?
Thanks for asking. It was an incredible honor to take part in the medical tent at the 2008 Ironman race. The week started off with a Sports Medicine Conference geared to the treatment of the endurance athlete. Drs. Sallis, Pearce, and Laird did a great job organizing the conference including the speakers that lectured on topics from hyponatremia to proper bike fitting in order to avoid injury. Louise Morris (Assistant Medical Director) and Dr. Bob Laird also did an amazing job coordinating and overseeing the organization of the medical tent and ensuring the care of athletes on race day was safe, precise, and well-orchestrated.
2. How did you decide to volunteer your services in the med tent? How long have you been doing this?
I have taken care of various athletes in different disciplines including cycling, football, baseball, lacrosse, hockey, and triathlon. I currently am the head team physician for the U.S. Disabled Ski Team, and also care for the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, so I have always enjoyed taking care of individuals who enjoy an active lifestyle. Endurance athletes undergo a wide variety of challenges throughout the race day in changing, and often mercurial, settings. Therefore, they are exposed to many different injuries that can include dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, or even trauma from cycling accidents.
3. As the day goes on, do the athletes’ afflictions change? Do they get more or less severe the later they come through the finish line?
After the pros, the age-groupers start showing up in the medical tent. The majority of athletes are suffering from exercise-induced dehydration or electrolyte imbalances. The athletes finishing in the 9-12 hour time range may theoretically have exerted a greater amount of energy but that is completely relative according to the athlete. An athlete who finishes in the 14-15 hour time range may be undergoing similar metabolic demands as an athlete who finished earlier since it is completely dependent on the individual physiology of the athlete. The key is staying alert and listening to the athlete describe how their race day unfolded, including their nutrition and urination during the race.
4. What’s the most common mistake people make on the course that land them in the med tent?
Classically, electrolyte imbalances have been common in endurance athletes. However, with the onset of more people concentrating on their nutrition (i.e., the “fourth” discipline of triathlon), the electrolyte disturbances may be more subtle. Hyponatremia was once very common in endurance racing but salt replenishment has helped mitigate the flux of essential minerals.
5. What was the worst, or most unusual medical emergency you had to deal with?
At other endurance races, I have seen athletes collapse prior to finishing. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can be very dangerous and can be thought of as a “heat attack”; the severity of the problem is analogous to the perils associated with heart attacks. Luckily, the athletes that I saw at Kona were able to make their way to the medical tent on their own volition. Legs that continue to shake after the race can be quite distressing to the athlete because of the discomfort associated with restless legs. The majority of athletes that we saw continue to suffer from dehydration and hyponatremia. The one problem that seems to be occurring more frequently now is deaths that occur during the swim. Recently in Triathlete magazine, Scott Tinley describes the severity of this problem – since 2004, 18 of the 24 triathlon related deaths have occurred in the swim segment of the race. Suspected causes include exertion, anxiety, cardiac arrhythmias, and swimming induced pulmonary edema (SIPE).
6. How does being a doctor help you as an athlete? Do you feel you’re a better triathlete because of your medical knowledge?
I feel that being a doctor has helped me in many ways. I am an orthopaedic surgeon, so I am definitely familiar with overuse syndromes including iliotibial band tendinitis, knee pain, and hamstring strains! I try to get to the heart of the problem before it lingers for too long. Often that can include physical therapy, stretching, icing, and safe use of anti-inflammatory medications for a limited time. I also like to understand my nutritional needs and my wife has helped tremendously with understanding nutritional requirements. She is a great cook and is actively involved in researching foods that have a balanced nutritional spectrum and seeking foods that are minimally processed and have limited preservatives.
7. Can you tell us how your season went for you? How do you balance work, family and training?
I really enjoyed my season this year. I started off with a half-Ironman distance race in May and then did some sprint races through the summer to work on my speed. I finished off my season with an Olympic distance race in Kiawah Island with several good friends. It was a great way to combine a vacation with an athletic event! I hope to make this a regular stop every year. I recently moved to Breckenridge, Colorado, so I am looking forward to racing in the 5430 Triathlon series in Boulder. My wife is an incredible training partner and friend. She is a budding duathlete and we often train together. I cannot wait to cheer her on in her first duathlon. She is definitely one of my biggest supporters and fans both on and off the race course. Sometimes when we go on long runs together, we will push our child in the jog stroller (our baby has also done a couple of running races with us while she was in the jog stroller)! One of the greatest parts about being an orthopaedic surgeon in Colorado is that I am surrounded by active people who encourage an athletic lifestyle. It certainly has elevated my understanding of athletic injuries, and I believe it has helped me develop into a better orthopaedic surgeon.
8. How important is the mental aspect of endurance events? Have you seen athletes finish a race because of their strong mentality, when it should have been physically impossible?
It is absolutely amazing to witness the power of the mind. Some of the strongest individuals are those who can overcome times of hardship and persevere. I once heard Paula Newby-Fraser give an inspirational speech, and she stated, “Never underestimate the ability of the human body.” Some athletes use visual imagery and set their sights on the goal and not necessarily the task at hand while others focus on how fortunate they are to be taking part in a particular race or athletic endeavor. Sometimes the adage “mind over matter” can be an incredible force that can allow individuals to continue. The entire day is quite inspirational from swim start to midnight; the number of family members cheering on the various athletes throughout the race course underscores the determination and the drive these athletes and their supporters possess.
9. How do you relax when you’re not at work or training?
I enjoy spending time with my family. My daughter is almost three years old and she is an amazing little girl (I guess every dad thinks his daughter is amazing!). She has a great vocabulary and says the funniest things at times. I enjoy downhill skiing also, and I am looking forward to cross-training this winter by Nordic skiing. In the warmer months, wakeboarding and tennis are some of my favorite activities.
10. Will you be working behind the scenes at Kona again next year?
I definitely hope to be there!
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