Check before running

It takes more than passion and good physique to be a good marathon runner. So marathon organizers must pay more attention to providing timely first aid to the runners, says an article on guancha.gmw.cn. Excerpts:

A retried soldier in his early 30s collapsed on the ground near the finishing line of a marathon in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, last weekend and died four hours later in a nearby hospital. The man was known for his excellent physical health, but became the fourth marathoner to die during a race in China this year.

Marathon running is becoming increasingly popular in China, especially because more and more people consider it an inexpensive way to keep physically fit. Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that 38 marathons had been held in the country by early December this year.