this is a crazy situation of bureaucratic CYA. A couple years ago somebody died while running a half-marathon in Tel Aviv. It was tragic. It is also extremely rare. Yet in a crazy example of over-regulation, similar to the amount of over-legislation we have in the Knesset, the Ministry of Health decided that from now on all marathon participants must present the results of a stress test in order to participate and run half and full marathons. This is costly, it is a pain in the neck, it is unnecessary and is an upsetting example of over-regulation.
nobody wants to die. And anybody that does - surely there are easier and more successful ways than training for a marathon. I get that they need to protect themselves, but it should be enough to put out health warnings and/or make runners sign a health waiver.
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When I signed up for Tel Aviv last week, they told me I needed a medical ishur. I got the letter from my doctor that says I can participate in a gym, and submitted that. They accepted it.
ReplyDeleteI didnt check the Tel Aviv requirements yet, as I have not registered. Tiberias says they require a stress test. I dont know how strict they will be about it, but it is in their requirements. Bet Shean is not giving out race packets for their half marathon this week unless results of required stress test are presented.
DeleteIsrael over-regulates everything; why should marathons be different?
ReplyDeleteAny runner knows these things, regulations or not.
ReplyDeleteMaking government grow, with new laws that will require changing texts, changing the body of literature, changing curriculums, adding lawyer staff, adding lawsuit possibilities, ... all just adds unnecessary expenses on the citizen.
Let them, instead, make a law to reduce laws by 5% every year!
I thought I had heard that the runner who died had some crazy theory about not eating or drinking anything on marathon day - any validity in that?
ReplyDelete