GSK Supports Runner Training for Toughest Footrace on Earth

The Toughest Footrace on Earth

By Heather Hummel

Most of us our inclined to help others.  Some of us donate time to volunteer  for charities, and others of us donate money or items that charities also need to keep moving forward.  But how many of us would take on the challenge of running through the desert for 6 days to help raise money and awareness for a charity? Probably not too many of us.

Kate Eversole, Founder; Head of Partnerships, PatientsCreate, has accepted the challenge. Next month she will be running the Marathon des Sables (MdS), ranked by the Discovery Channel as the toughest footrace on earth.  The MdS is a multi-day ‘ultra-marathon’ or ‘ultra’ run in six days over a course of between 150 and 156 miles (254km).  Through the Sahara desert.  Where the temperature can exceed 120 degrees (50 degrees C).  And runners are required to be self-sufficient, carrying all their food, water and equipment.

After running the London Marathon in 2012, Kate entered MdS and got a space.  Looking back, she now thinks she must have been in a post race high after the marathon.  But she's preparing to take on the challenge and has been able to work out a rigorous training schedule, which has had to fit around her 50 - 60 hour work week.

Kate in Training

Luckily, to help with her training, she's spent the last few months being a lab rat for GlaxoSmithKline’s Human Performance Lab, a world class science facility focused on applied and discovery research, combining GSK science expertise, external advisors and cutting edge technology to deepen understanding of human performance.

Working in partnership with people and organizations committed to elite performance, the GSK Human Performance Lab aims to better understand how the body and brain function. This in turn can be used to develop improved training, recovery, nutrition and competition programs for its partners, enabling them to break through the limits of human performance.

Kate and her running team have been working with the GSK Human Performance Lab to better understand how to enhance their marathon performance. Their research has focused on a number of areas including environmental adaptation, hydration and nutrition so that they are ready to compete in the 155 mile, multi-stage Marathon des Sables race across the Sahara desert. Not only that, but the team is being advised on optimum recovery strategies to ensure that they can push themselves on a repeated basis.

To see how the important work MENCAP does to impact lives, please visit http://www.mencap.org.uk
To learn more about the Marathon des Sables, please visit http://www.marathondessables.co.uk

To sponsor Kate on her journey to challenge herself and raise money for MENCAP, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/Kate-Eversole2

120-degrees f? Carry your food & water ? No problem.

Is 2014 the Year of Telemedicine?

Image by Mayo Clinic

By Dan Limbach

Sometimes a great concept is ahead of the infrastructure it requires to become fully adopted by society. Telemedicine is no exception. Once relegated to expensive gadgets and proprietary networks, telemedicine has recently benefited from the explosion of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. In 2013, over one billion smartphones were shipped, a high water mark for the devices. According to IDC, this growth rate may have peaked, underscoring the maturity of the market.

Data transmission is the other necessary component for a telemedicine infrastructure. With Wi-Fi and cellular networks blanketing the first world, it’s safe to say few people in these areas cannot have access to telemedicine.

Now that these two essential components are in place, the road is clear for an explosion in telemedicine expansion.

Obviously, there are endless issues that must be understood by companies providing telemedicine solutions. Medicare and the Affordable Care Act are two major forces in play. Millions of people are enrolling in the new plan as you read this.

Fortunately, the American Telemedicine Association has been building a community since 1993. ATA is a pioneer in promoting the use of telemedicine, and continues to lead the industry in covering the key issues and educating industry professionals. They are a one-stop shop for news and information. This is their vision for telemedicine.

Telemedicine will be fully integrated into healthcare systems to improve quality, access, equity and affordability of healthcare throughout the world.

One of the best ways to engage with the state of the industry, is to immerse yourself in the community at a major conference. ATA 2014 is the premier telemedicine for professionals. Their annual conference will occur from May 17 – 20, 2014, in Baltimore, MD.

It’s packed with inspirational keynotes, informative sessions, certification courses, networking opportunities, and much more. Please visit the website and register today.