Marathon Medical Psychology
My mission is to put a therapist in every marathon medical tent
As a lifetime athlete and 5x marathoner I know what it is like to have an important race not go the way I hoped…and the intense emotions that can follow. When a runner ends up in a medical tent their big day is absolutely not going how they thought it would.
Whether they are trying to just finish a marathon for their bucket list, running to raise money for a deeply personal cause or charity, or finally snag that BQ, there is always a story and real stakes behind anyone attempting a marathon. When things go badly and their body doesn't perform as they hoped, it is inevitable that big, deep feelings can show up too — that is where Medical Marathon Psychology comes in!
What is Marathon Medical Psychology?
Marathon Medical Psychology (MMP) provides essential on-site psychological and emotional support services within medical tents at marathons and endurance events. Developed by Dr. John Ardizzone at the Chicago Marathon, this pioneering approach addresses the unique emotional challenges athletes face during moments of medical need and intense exhaustion with the presence of a licensed psychotherapist or psychologist to be with them in a really tough, unexpected moment.
Unlike traditional sports psychology or clinical psychotherapy, a Marathon Medical Psych team specializes in acute psychological care at the moment of medical need.
MMP integrates Psychological First Aid (PFA) based mental health intervention focused on regulation and resourcing, including helping the athlete reduce panic and reactivity through breathing and grounding exercises, reframing distress with an emphasis on their strengths and accomplishments, and connecting to resources including nutrition, hydration, or family members.
A critical function is assisting medical staff by emotionally regulating athletes—creating calmer, more cooperative patients and enabling more efficient and effective medical care.
From the beginning this program encountered skepticism and reluctance from medical staff – considering the stakes of the work emergency medicine doctors perform anyone can understand the hesitation. However medical teams at the Chicago and Los Angeles Marathons overwhelmingly report that the presence of MMP volunteers is not only helpful, but based on how much freer they are to focus on the medical needs of patients and how much easier it is to treat calmer and more responsive patients they never want to do another event without us.
My goal is to shift the standard of care in sports medicine by establishing in-tent psychological support as an essential component of marathon and endurance event medical services worldwide. With proven success across multiple events, Marathon Medical Psychology is a no-brainer, low cost program ready to expand globally to ensure every marathoner endurance athlete receives truly comprehensive care during their most vulnerable moments.
How do I start a program at my local marathon?
I have developed training materials for you and your team, as well as essential information for the medical director and race administrators of your local event to better understand the goals and needs of this program. You should be able to take it from there, but I am here to support as you need.
If you are a licensed psychologist or psychotherapist and want to start a MMP program at your local marathon or endurance event, reach out to Adam Boardman directly via email at adamboardmanmft(at)gmail.com.
If you are a race administrator or medical director of your race and are interested in offering MMP I am here for you too. I am happy to provide materials and initial guidance free of charge. If you are interested in more involved program administration including expanded virtual and/or on-site support please reach out to discuss my consultant services.