• Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2013 “Team Marathon Experts” Pre-participation Self-Assessment and Adequate Training are Equally Important

    • 12 professionals from the medical, nutrition and sporting fields form “Team Marathon Experts” sharing practical training tips with marathon athletes

    • Adequate preparation and proper training methods will enhance not only athletes’ performances but also their safety and pleasure in running

    • The 8-category checklist of pre-participation self-assessment helps athletes better understand their own fitness and hence choose the most appropriate race category to enter

    • Enrolment for the Marathon Clinic has started and classes will begin in late October


    [Hong Kong, 10th October, 2012]The Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association (HKAAA) has invited an outstanding group of professionals coming from a wide array of specialisations including doctors, sports professionals, nutritionists, trainers and Hong Kong’s top experienced athletes to form the “Team Marathon Experts” (Team ME). Team ME will share a comprehensive range of practical training tips to marathon participants. To ensure optimal performance on race day, Team ME will advise on the importance of adequate training and preparation and how the specially developed pre-participation self-assessment can help athletes understand their own fitness and decide which race category to enter.


    Over the next 20 weeks, the 12 experts of Team ME (Appendix 1) will share their specialised knowledge on practical and easy-to-understand tips with athletes through the official Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/hkmarathon) each week. To further address the challenges faced by the athletes and help take their performance to an optimal level, there will be an “Ask the Experts” session, hosted by different experts, on the second Wednesday (12pm – 12am) of every month from November to February on the Facebook page. According to the topic of that week, athletes can post their questions and they will be answered by the appropriate expert within 48 hours. Athletes can follow our marathon Facebook page for more details.


    Mr. Kwan Kee, Chairman of HKAAA showed his appreciation to Team ME and also reminded all athletes that, “While running is generally healthy for everyone, athletes benefit most from understanding their bodies’ limits. The purpose of forming Team ME is to provide athletes with a comprehensive set of training and preparation tips, which athletes can choose as they consider suitable for themselves, so as to enhance their performance and at the same time increase their safety and take full pleasure in the race.”


    To improve the safety of athletes, The Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine and Sports Science in partnership with a group of medical experts and sports professionals has developed a thorough pre-participation self-assessment checklist, consisting of eight categories such as age, family and personal medical history (see Appendix 2) for those considering entering the race. In addition, the association also provides a simplified guideline of “Pre-participation Cardiovascular Evaluation” for family doctors’ reference. Dr. Gary Mak, specialist in cardiology and the President of the Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine and Sports Science, suggested, “We encourage everyone who wants to participate in the race to consider undergoing a self-assessment before their registration, and if they find themselves at high risk, they should go to their family doctor for a thorough check-up before signing up for the race.”


    Hong Kong Polytechnic University Professor Simon Yeung who organizes and hosts the Marathon Clinic stated, “I am very pleased to team up with all the experts to provide diverse and practical training tips to athletes. We hope that the Team ME program can help participants better understand the importance of adequate training and preparation.” He added, “To achieve the best results, it is also important for participants to evaluate their fitness and think carefully about their available time for training before selecting the race category to enter.”


    Every year the HKAAA works with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sports Medicine and Health Sciences Centre to organize a Marathon Clinic. The Clinic includes classes for the 10km, half marathon and marathon races, all of which provide comprehensive guidance about training and preparation. Enrolment for this year’s Clinic has begun and classes will commence on 28th October, 2012. Another Introductory Three-Day Marathon Course, which is for first time athletes attempting long distance running, is also now open for enrolment, and classes will start on 17th November, 2012. Interested parties can obtain further information at www.hkmarathon.com.


    The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2013, Hong Kong’s largest participatory annual sporting event, has been recognized and upgraded to a Silver Label Road Race by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). This year’s event will also be the venue for the 14th Asian Marathon Championships. HKAAA announced that the overall quota of participants has been raised to 72,000 and two separate registration periods will be offered to participants:

    Registration Start DateStart TimeRace
    From 24th October, 20127:00amMarathon and Half Marathon
    Wheelchair Races (Half Marathon and 3km)
    From 31st October, 20127:00am10km

    Registration deadline is on 30th November, 2012.

    More information can be found at www.hkmarathon.com or please call Marathon Secretariat at 2577 0800 for any enquiries.


    Photo Captions



    Photo 1

    Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2013 “Team Marathon Experts” (Team ME), a group of professionals from the medical, nutrition and sporting fields, provide tips and guidelines for athletes through the official Marathon Facebook page.



    Photo 2

    Mr. Kwan Kee, Chairman of HKAAA, presents certificates to Team ME in recognition of their contribution to help athletes prepare for the race.



    Photo 3

    Team ME members encourage athletes to conduct pre-participation self-assessment to better understand their own fitness and select the most appropriate race category; athletes should also be well prepared and trained as to achieve optimal performance in next year’s race.

    ~ End ~

    This press release is issued by ActionHouse International on behalf of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2013 Organizing Committee.

    For media enquiries, please contact:

    ActionHouse International

    Prudence Tsang Ph: 3102 8105 Email: ptsang@actionhouseintl.com

    Stella Lam Ph: 3102 2998 Email: slam@actionhouseintl.com

    About the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon
    www.hkmarathon.com

    The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon is Hong Kong's largest participatory annual sporting event, organized by the HKAAA. Commencing the first title sponsorship in 1997 with around 1,000 runners, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd will celebrate its 17th year as title sponsor and 72,000 participants for the 2013 event.

    Standard Chartered also sponsors marathons in 8 other cities globally including Singapore, Mumbai, Nairobi, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Dubai, Stanley (Falkland Islands) and Jersey.

    Appendix 1


    “Team Marathon Experts” of Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2013


     Name of expertTitle
    1.Dr. Simon YeungAssociate Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
    2.Dr. Lobo LouieAssociate Professor of Department of Physical Education, HK Baptist University
    3.Dr. Wong Bun LapSpecialist in cardiology and the Hong Kong Medical Association Council Members
    4.Dr. Gary MakSpecialist in cardiology and President of the Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine and Sports Science
    5.Dr. Yung Shu Hang Consultant & Team Head in the Division of Orthopaedics Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology in the Prince of Wales Hospital and Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sports Medicine and Health Sciences Centre
    6.Miss Sylvia LamRegistered Dietitian and Chairlady of Hong Kong Dietitians Association
    7.Miss Doris Mok
    (Chinese Medicine Practitioner)    		Chairlady of The University of Hong Kong Bachelor of Chinese Medicine (Full-time) Alumni Association
    8.Miss Yiu Kit ChingWinner of Women Half Marathon Challenge of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2011 & 2012
    9.Miss Joe Joe FanHong Kong Marathon Team Representative
    10.Mr. Chan Ka HoWinner of Men’s 10km Challenge of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2012
    11.Mr. Gi Ka ManWinner of Men’s Half Marathon Challenge of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2012
    12.Mr. Fung Ying KiThe first local Marathon wheelchair race finisher of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2012


    Appendix 2


    Pre-participation self-assessment


    1. Chest pain or discomfort on exercise
    2. Unexplained fainting or near-fainting
    3. Excessive breathlessness or fatigue, associated with exercise
    4. Prior recognition of a heart murmur
    5. Family history of premature death (before age 50 years) due to heart disease or family history of inheritable heart disease.
    6. History of heart disease, stroke or peripheral artery disease
    7. Major coronary risk factors including Diabetes, Smoking, Hypertension and high lipid level
    8. Men over 45 and women over 55

    If participants find themselves at high risk, they should consult their family doctors for a “Pre-participation Cardiovascular Evaluation” before signing up for the race. Details please refer to
    http://spblab.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/hkasmss/HKASMSS_PPE_Statement.pdf

    Remarks:
    “Team Marathon Experts” Programme Disclaimer


    Archive Press Release

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