Sadly, runner deaths in major marathons are not usual. I've run run 31 of them, in four of those 26.2 mile races, runners died. During the today's 32nd Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon, two runners collapsed between the 11 and 12 mile markers. At 9:02 am, Daniel Langdon, 36, of Laingsburg, Michigan went down--15 minutes later Rick Brown, 65, of Marietta, Ohio, was stricken.
In the half marathon, Jon Fenlon, 26, collapsed after completing that race. It was not his first brush with fame: The Detroit Free Press reports that in 2006 he caught a Magglio Ordoñez home run during the final game of American League Championship Series, which sent the Detroit Tigers to the World Series.
Running is good for your health, but in can be deadly. Not all experts agree on this estimate, there is a hypothesis that for every 50,000 runners who compete in a marathon, one dies.
When that statistic is tossed around, it's usually paired with something along the lines that "runner deaths are uncommon." But today there were 13 NFL games played, and in each of those stadiums where the match-ups took place there were more than 50,000 fans in attendance.
None died.
Heart defects are usually the cause of death for these unfortunate runners, although many women succumb to hyponatremia, a sodium deficiency.
I plan to run in next year's Chicago Marathon.
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3 comments:
It's sad that runners deaths aren't usual? You're a sick mother f*cker.
But there is no better way to control weight, and to improve one's mood.
But there is a risk...on the flipside, if marathons did kill, there's no way that I've could have run thirty of them.
I agree with John, I've recently returned to running and can attest to its many benefits.
There is risk in any sport, that is the chance you have to weigh before participating. Running is no different.
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