Action Picks Up At Ironman Medical Tent

COEUR D’ALENE — As Athletes travel the 140 mile Ironman Coeur d’Alene course, they occasionally needed help with minor, and sometimes major injures.

The medical tent stationed at the triathlon operates like a small hospital, and helped athletes with any medical situations they may have had.

“It gets to be crazy and wild back here,” nurse Julie Hoerner said.

Dozens of nurses and physicians stood by to tend to any problems that may come about during the competition.

“It’s like a mash unit,” Hoerner said.

Cots, IV’s, and even sick buckets were laid out in the tent, waiting when the athletes crossed the finish line.

The most common ailment seen during the competition was dehydration, and the nausea associated with massive water loss.

“Once they’ve been out on the course for so long, their body shuts down and doesn’t function the way it needs to, they aren’t able to absorb liquids,” Hoerner said.

Some other problems this tent prepared for were seizures, asthma attacks, and low blood sugar. There is also a small pharmacy on site, to tend to any of the more serious medical condition.

Throughout the day on Sunday, physicians saw many minor injuries, with the average time these athletes spent in the tent was about one hour.