Leadership

All board members of the International Institute of Race Medicine are leaders in the field of endurance medicine. Many have over 30 years of practical knowledge in running these types of diverse medical programs, while others have dedicated their research careers to the field of sport medicine. Our intent is to establish an international community with a strong desire to collaborate with a number of medical event teams ‒ all with an interest in providing a safe environment for all runners.

Executive Board

Stuart Weiss, MD

Board Chair

George Chiampas, DO

Board Member

John Cianca, MD

Board Member

Pierre d'Hemecourt, MD

Board Member

Cathy Fieseler, MD

Board Member

Mark A. Harrast, MD

Board Member

P.Z. Pearce, MD

Board Member

William O. Roberts, MD

Board Member

Martin Schwellnus, MD

Board Member

SanjaySharma, MD

Board Member

Ui May Tan, MD

Board Member

Fumihiro Yamasawa, MD

Board Member

Chris Troyanos, ATC

Executive Director

Douglas Casa, PhD, ATC

Board Member

Rob Galloway, MD

Board Member

Tim Good

Board Member

Dave McGillivray

Board Member

Francis O'Connor, MD

Board Member

Matthew Sedgley, MD

Board Member

Aaron L. Baggish, MD

Board Member

Sam Cheuvront, PhD, RD

Board Member

Kourtney Kipps, MD

Board Member

Daniel Lieberman, PhD

Board Member

Anthony Luke, MD

Board Member

Stephen Mears, PhD

Board Member

The road race industry has been witness to a tremendous amount of growth. Even during the down-turn in the country’s economic state, road races and individual athletic events exceeded business expectations. Today, races and events continue to sell out in record time with the numbers of participants reaching unprecedented levels. The total number of events held each year in the United States and in Europe has reached levels beyond anyone’s expectations. Road racing has now become a big business.

Running USA numbers indicate there are over 650 marathons, 1200 half marathons, and 2500 10Ks. These numbers don't even take into account the numerous 5Ks, triathlons, terrain-type races, and charity walks.

During this explosion of growth, we have also been witness to an heightened sense of concern for runner safety and emergency preparedness. The International Institute for Race Medicine, which started out with a small group of medical professionals interested in addressing this problem, realized that we needed to match the industry's growth – an industry that goes well beyond the borders of the United States.

As you will see in the various aspects of our website, the IIRM has a primary mission: to provide a central site of information for those interested in providing the safest possible environment for our athletes.

Our industry has no set standards of care, no means of collecting information and data, and no educational component to assist all levels of medical professionals, working or volunteering at these events. By no means is this website complete. What you are seeing is only the beginning. Future improvements rely on continued input from our members and others willing to share information. If you have ideas for educational components that you feel should be included, we'd love to hear from you  at membership@racemedicine.org.

We look forward to working with you to improve our industry, expand educational outreach, and protect the well-being of runners!

Chris Troyanos, ATC
Executive Director
International Institute for Race Medicine

The mission of the International Institute for Race Medicine is to promote the health and safety of athletes participating in endurance events through education, research, and the development of medical best practices.

This will be accomplished by:

• Sharing credible information as it pertains to all medical aspects of running and endurance events.
• Promoting research and improvements in clinical care for participants in road races and mass participation sporting events.
• Developing collaborative relationships with public safety groups.
• Establishing reliable medical protocols and logistical matrixes that can be used by all mass participation events.
• Establishing liaisons to various groups, corporations, and organizations that will help promote the mission of the IIRM and the endurance sports industry.

The American Road Racing Medical Society (ARRMS) was formed in October 2003 as a division of the American Running Association (ARA). It's inception was intended to serve the road racing community in North America as an educational resource and medical leader for road races from the 5K distance up through the ultra distances.

ARRMS was the result of a vision of Bill Roberts, MD, who is the Twin Cities Marathon Medical Director, Life Member of American Medical Athletic Association (AMAA), and Immediate-Past President of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Over the first few years of ARRMS existence, its officers worked with a broader mission to enhance how road racing medical professionals learn and interact.

Dr. Roberts envisioned that ARRMS could eventually serve all medical professionals who work and/or volunteer at any size road race. Its mission serves to educate the running industry, race organizers, and the public about medical issues that impact the sport of running and road racing. It also has expanded its outreach to individual runners who can benefit from receiving accurate educational information about nutrition, training, and injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Recently, the IIRM developed a partnership with the Matthew Good Foundation and the Good Family from the United Kingdom. Through their support and guidance, the organization was renamed as the International Institute for Race Medicine to help expand its reach to race communities worldwide.

• Large and small endurance races can join as event members, which allows them to provide ALL medical volunteers and others associated providing support with access to the educational materials online.
• Individuals with an interest in running and sports medicine are welcome as individual members of the IIRM. 

• Once your event becomes a member of the IIRM, an event administrator will be chosen to manage your educational programs. That person will receive a code specific for your event.
• Your event administrator will then share that code with all event volunteers so  they can access the password-protected areas on the IIRM website.

As an IIRM member, you can:

• Connect with medical directors, coordinators, EMS, and medical volunteers throughout the world.
• Innovate and share ideas on best practices within the endurance medicine field.
• Make an impact through collaboration with others in the field.
• Advocate for safer events and make a difference on health and wellness issues for our athletes.
• Work on research projects that will imrpove our standards of care.

IIRM individual members receive:

• Endurance and Sports Medicine journal delivered via email 3x/year
• Discounted registration for IIRM-hosted sports medicine conferences
• Access to password-protected materials on the IIRM website including: 
  - Archived issues of the AMAA Journal and Endurance and Sports Medicine
  - The 92-page IIRM Medical Care Manual, developed by experts from the IIRM and Loughborough University 
  - Video presentations from AMAA and IIRM conferences focusing on race medicine and general sports medicine topics 

IIRM event members receive everything that individual members receive, as well as:

• Unlimited access to the password-protected section of the IIRM site for ALL medical volunteers, public safety personnel, and hospitals associated with the event
• The ability to network with and receive advice from other medical professionals who manage medical care at races 
• Recognition of the event(s) on the IIRM website with a link to the event(s)
   

QUESTIONS? Write to membership@racemedicine.org or call 240-271-1657.