Organisers' decision to allow non-professional athletes to start full marathon an hour earlier helped curb heat-related casualties 
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exhausted: Shailaja Sarnaik, a matron from RCF hospital in Chembur, collapsed after the half marathon at the certificate desk. PIC/ALISHA COELHO</td></tr></tbody></table>An hour's lead for the non-professional athletes, who ran the full marathon yesterday, helped avert major casualties, after the organisers allowed them to start the run at 6.45 am. Professional athletes began the full marathon at 7.45 am, the scheduled time. Actor Milind Soman was among those who started the run an hour earlier along with the half-marathon runners. "The major groups where injuries occur are the non-professional runners. Starting early means that the weather is pleasant for most part of their run," said Dr Ramakant Panda, CEO of Asian Heart Institute, who were medical partners along with the marathon organisers. "In the past, the event ended around noon and thus, the heat caused severe cramping and dehydration in runners. This time, by starting early, even average runners finished the run around 9.30 am when the weather was pleasant. It's definitely made a difference," added Panda. Collapsed However, there were exceptions. Japanese runner Chiharu Chiba (29) was admitted to the Asian Heart Hospital for dehydration. Also, half-marathon runner Shailaja Sarnaik (50) collapsed at the certificate desk and was rushed to the base camp. "I did not feel uneasy during the entire course of the run, but suddenly fainted an hour after I crossed the finish line," said Sarnaik, a matron at RCF Hospital in Chembur. "Luckily, my parents are unaware of my collapse, but it shocked my friends as much as it surprised me. Thank God, it wasn't anything severe," added Sarnaik. She was discharged after she was administered intravenous therapy for vasovagal attack. First aid - 1,500 runners were given OPD treatment for minor sprains, cramps, dehydration and exhaustion. - An additional 1,200 runners were treated at the two medical base camps at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Metro Cinema. - 12 ambulances and 400 staff members from the Asian Heart Hospital serviced runners yesterday.

Organisers' decision to allow non-professional athletes to start full marathon an hour earlier helped curb heat-related casualties

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