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Thread: Hypothermia

  1. #21
    Orange Pony Hanneke's Avatar
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    Re: Hypothermia

    I managed with a torn anterior talo-fibular ligament and fractured fibula, to get down from CP 1 for medium score at the OMM of 2008 to Honister, to overnight camp, to be told the thing was abandoned, and back over Honister to HQ all right, all on adrenaline and in order to stay warm... but yes, life is full of what ifs

    I am prone to hypothermia and hypoglaecemia so am well aware of it and how to self manage if I succumb regardless of precautions... Survival instinct is HUGE and it was ok to run/walk through the excruciating pain of a shoulder dislocation and the pain of the ankle (which was much less) just in order to not succumb to hypothermia... one hates to think what would happen if you are truely immobilised and can't work through the pain... as Ian says somewhere above: a broken ankle doesn't kill you, hypothermia can/will...!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike T View Post
    Well done Hanneke - superb self-management! It could have been very different if it had been an ankle fracture - but it wasn't, and life is full of "what ifs".
    “the cause of my pain, was the cause of my cure” Rumi

  2. #22
    Master Brotherton Lad's Avatar
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    Re: Hypothermia

    I think fell runners in this country are especially vulnerable to hypothermia.

    Used to spend alot of time in Norwegian winters with the Army. Very cold there, -38 C my record (living self-contained in the field, in case you think I was swanning it in a hotel), but you wear good kit and the knack is to manage your body temperature, both by wearing the right clothing but also by avoiding getting wet by over-heating and sweating, venting out moisture. The bonus there is that there is no moisture on the outside, it's all frozen solid.

    A UK fell runner is probably at best (some try to avoid even that weight) only dressed for running or quick walking, or reliant on speedy recovery if immobilised. Sweating is the default position and UK fells have a tendency to be windy and wet with a temperature often hovering either side of freezing. Throw in exhaustion and low blood sugar and, God forbid, an injury and you have a bit of a 'mare to survive.

    Editted to add. Of course, this is why we like the challenge of the sport. Just trying to emphasise the requirement to look after yourself (and each other, if needs be).
    Last edited by Brotherton Lad; 01-05-2012 at 07:01 PM. Reason: keep tweaking the message

  3. #23
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    Re: Hypothermia

    I would agree, me and Jake see people dressed in minimum equipment in some very poor conditions on Winter hill , its a balance of the risk of stopping and finding yourself having to walk off v weight and speed ,
    Jake will constantly change layers adding or removing these depending on what he is doing , on his birthday run http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.de/...t-road-to.html the weather turned and Jake got soaked , we changed the wet clothing and he carried on , on the less active sections he adds to and when he is hot he will use zips etc to vent himself,
    Jake because of his autism has a higher metabolism rate and will overheat and needs access to sugary foods so we have to be careful on long runs.
    As Jake is 8 his smaller body mass v surface area also places him at risk, Jake normally has heaver weight kit to deal with this but that is the trade off we take on safety v speed you will normaly always see Jake with Hi Vis clothing plus whistle and also is fully aware of how to get himself off the hill /fell quickly , to us there is always another day

    from Dave lane
    "and at times when there isperhaps nobody else around on the moors – and in the most appalling
    weather conditions! Some would call us foolhardy, but this is our choice
    and what we choose to do - and we would defend our right to do just this
    – so long as we are all aware of the possible dangers and we dress and
    equip ourselves to minimise the risks."
    for people who use the fells this is equally valuable
    "In poor weather never underestimate Winter Hill. The bogs really ARE
    there. The visibility really CAN vanish totally within 60 seconds. The
    body surface temperature plus the chill factor for those unsuitably
    dressed, really CAN drop to –10C or more on top of the Hill.
    DO take care on Winter Hill ….. but enjoy it! Remember. It CAN bite"
    http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/w...illthebook.htm

    Simon
    Last edited by snewby; 01-05-2012 at 04:19 PM.

  4. #24
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    Re: Hypothermia

    Quote Originally Posted by Brotherton Lad View Post
    I think fell runners in this country are especially vulnerable to hypothermia.

    Used to spend alot of time in Norwegian winters with the Army. Very cold there, -38 C my record (living self-contained in the field, in case you think I was swanning it in a hotel), but you wear good kit and the knack is to manage your body temperature, both by wearing the right clothing but also by avoiding getting wet by over-heating and sweating, venting out moisture. The bonus there is that there is no moisture on the outside, it's all frozen solid.

    A UK fell runner is probably at best (some try to avoid even that weight) only dressed for running or quick walking, or reliant on speedy recovery if immobilised. Sweating is the default position and UK fells have a tendency to be windy and wet with a temperature often hovering either side of freezing. Throw in exhaustion and low blood sugar and, God forbid, an injury and you have a bit of a 'mare to survive.

    Editted to add. Of course, this is why we like the challenge of the sport. Just trying to emphasise the requirement to look after yourself.
    Some years ago skiing in Lake Louise in Canada the temperature at the bottom of the hill was minus 30 degrees centigrade - not counting wind chill. The chair lifts had no protection, apart from the usual bar to stop a fall. We would go up, go inside, ski halfway down, go inside, get to the bottom, go inside ..... Late in the afternoon I was on a chair lift that stopped for about 20 minutes - I was with a couple and their daughter and we were just short of the top and it was windy and jolly cold - the poor young girl was so distressed she was crying - horrible. Do not believe that skiing in Canada has a higher standard of safety than Western Europe - it doesn't. Minus 30 C is as different from zero as plus 30 C is - it is totally different, and any exposed skin can freeze in seconds.

  5. #25
    Senior Member Usually at the back's Avatar
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    Re: Hypothermia

    Quote Originally Posted by Welsh Harrier View Post
    Several runners were hypothermic at Mynnydd Troed at the weekend despite a shortened route. (see comments at http://www.fellrace.com/mynyddtroed). One was taken to hospital but thankfully is now OK. Contributing factors were cold continuous heavy rain, very strong winds and flimsy 'windproof' body cover which doesn't keep the wet out, you can see some very wet runners on Al Tye's photos.
    The 10 minute jog back to the pub from the finish caught a couple of people out as well, the lady I finished with was very wet and was confused about the way back, she was very cold by the time we reached the Castle Inn

  6. #26
    Grandmaster IanDarkpeak's Avatar
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    Re: Hypothermia

    Quote Originally Posted by Usually at the back View Post
    The 10 minute jog back to the pub from the finish caught a couple of people out as well, the lady I finished with was very wet and was confused about the way back, she was very cold by the time we reached the Castle Inn
    good point note that UATB

    If I know I'm going to be cold and wet at the end of a race with some distance to walk back to the car I try and stash a spare base layer windproof or all jacket. you tend to switch off a bit at the end of a race but it's no different from stopping due to injury and just as easy to get cold.

  7. #27
    Master Dynamo Dan's Avatar
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    Re: Hypothermia

    Quote Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak View Post
    good point note that UATB

    If I know I'm going to be cold and wet at the end of a race with some distance to walk back to the car I try and stash a spare base layer windproof or all jacket. you tend to switch off a bit at the end of a race but it's no different from stopping due to injury and just as easy to get cold.

    I hung around chatting like a fool at he end of Buttermere it took me and hour to stop shaking when I finally got my clothes jacket, down gillet and jumper on! I felt fine when I finished...

  8. #28
    Master Brotherton Lad's Avatar
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    Re: Hypothermia

    Quote Originally Posted by Usually at the back View Post
    The 10 minute jog back to the pub from the finish caught a couple of people out as well, the lady I finished with was very wet and was confused about the way back, she was very cold by the time we reached the Castle Inn
    I hope you did the gentlemanly thing and gave her a good warming up.

  9. #29
    Master Welsh Harrier's Avatar
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    Re: Hypothermia

    Quote Originally Posted by Brotherton Lad View Post
    I hope you did the gentlemanly thing and gave her a good warming up.
    You've made a bit of an assumption here! From your moniker I think it's safe to assume that you're a lad, however....!

  10. #30
    Master Brotherton Lad's Avatar
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    Re: Hypothermia

    Only a bit of one, these days. Yes, it was an unjustifiable assumption.

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