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If anyone has ever seen me they know I’m not a runner…so, I wouldn’t know about this stuff — but, is this normal for marathons? Does this happen at other ones and we just don’t hear about it because they aren’t local?
I like to run but not at these distances. 5k or 10K are my favorites. With that being said the distances(1/2 or full marathons) are not the reason. Its usually some underying condition that is the cause. A genetic heart issue or something like that was not known. I co-worker also mentioned(1/2 and full marathon runner) that most of these(collapses, cardiac issues, etc.) happen during the 1/2 maraton beacuse people feel they do not need train for them like you would for a full. So the undelying cause can remain hidden in some cases to the day of the race. I had never thought about that but it does make sense.
Nope. This is unusual. It happens, and is always a risk, but not very often in my experience. And I’ll bet it is especially infrequent in a half marathon.
I’ve run six half marathons and three full, and never seen any deaths. These are very difficult to do, and people throw up, get injured, get attended to by EMTs, some are hospitialized (often for dehydration), and some quit, at every race. But not death.
However it was rough weekend for running. It was hot and the pollen affected the efficiency of breathing. I’ll be interested to hear more details.While the deaths are statistically uncommon, races in the Rock ’n’ Roll series have been marred by such tragedies at least 12 times since 2005, including the two in Raleigh on Sunday. Race officials identified the runners who died as men ages 31 and 35.
Weather should not have posed a concern for the race, medical officials said. Though temperatures reached the upper 70s in the afternoon, they were in the low 70s in the first hours of the event, when the deaths occurred.
I’ve run several halfs, which were part of full marathons, and something has always happened in my events. I would encourage anyone that is thinking of starting to run long distances, or any other heavy exercise that has not been a part of your routine for a period of time, to get a full physical before starting and perhaps even a stress test.
My PREGNANT little sister ran this yesterday. I hope she tones things down after this cautionary tale.
I know her well, though. She probably won’t.
You know how you can tell if someone is a runner?
Don’t worry, they will tell you.
Yes, that and people’s stupid stick people drawings of their families. People…I just don’t care or need to know that. Nor do I give two shits about how smart you think your breed of dog is.
I wouldn’t call this common, but it’s not what I would call terribly unusual. The Half Marathon distance has exploded over the past 8-10 years and when you have 50,000 people every weekend running half marathons, 2-3 per year are going to have serious medical issues during their race. Running does not make one immune to genetics.
I had a suspicious EKG during my annual physical a few years back and it was suggested to me that I go see a cardiologist. The cardiologist said it was a toss-up in his mind as to whether or not I should get a stress test. That weekend three people died running the Half/Full Marathon events in Detroit. I decided to do the stress test.
There is absolutely no comparison between running a half marathon and running a full marathon. The two haves of a full are the first 20 miles and the last six. Now that the youngest kid has declared his intention to toe the line in Houston next January for the full, I’m going to have to get back in full marathon shape so It’s going to be a long hot summer
I did a 10k once on a bet, at age 45. Two weeks of “training.”
I won the bet, and haven’t run a damned mile since. It felt like a near death experience.
Most of my life I’ve been fairly active, and yet I’ve never been one for distance running. I’d rather swim a mile than run a mile. The only good reason to run that far is if someone is chasing you.
And even then, weapons and/or hiding would be preferable.
@C’dog – maybe it WAS a near-death experience
I’ve competed in lots of strenuous sports, from wrestling to basketball to mountain biking, but distance running just throws me. I can’t do it. On the other hand, my wife trained and ran a few 10k’s. I picked her up after one – she ran under 45 minutes and was as fresh as if she had walked around the block. She’s just made for it.
Yeah… this was bad news…
same for the kid down here that was pitching batting practice and got hit in the head by a line drive…
… really makes you stop and think….—————-
On the lighter side…
… I did a twelve mile run … one time…
… in the middle of the night — blindfolded–
… some thing to do with pledging a frat….otherwise…. if you consider that a half marathon is more or less the equivalent of 4 and a half hours of chasing a orange round object nine inches in diameter… it all depends on how you factor in the breaks…
#NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!Some of us are just made for it. I can run for 3 or 4 hours straight. As long as there is water, no biggie. But don’t ask me to lift weights or do any of that cross fit stuff. And the runners high is real. You reach a stage where it really does feel good, and time passes quickly. Very therapeutic, for me.
A stand up comic once riffed on the “runner’s high” by noting “This is why I smoke and drink. I get that sensation from a flight of stairs.”
Before I was an old, broken down piece of shit, I could regularly run 2.5-3 miles. But more than that was torture. I did a charity 5 mile run once in law school, and am convinced I was on death’s door. That runner’s hight never happened, twas just “when can I stop, please?”
Since Wulf has broached the Zen discussion I will have to say that I really enjoy the solitude you get when you knock out 4-6 miles starting at around 4:15. The runner’s high is very real. I also tell people that running a marathon is easy, but training for a marathon is hard. That’s what makes the finish so sweet. Delayed gratification is one of the great life lessons that distance running teaches. I first discovered how much I enjoyed running in PE 100 during the Fall of 1979.
You know how you can tell if someone is a runner?
Don’t worry, they will tell you.
Yes, I’ll readily admit I am one of the ones who talk about running but it’s no different than anything else going on in my life: wife, kids, sports, dog, work, or any activity that I do. The key is like any conversation, keep to the subjects you have in common because people don’t want to hear a dissertation on a subject they could care less about. Heaven help you though if it’s a subject we have in common. 🙂
Runners have nothing on vegetarians and crossfitters when it comes to proselytizing.
Edit: and with crossfit’s history of rhabdo, it’s arguably more dangerous than long distance running.
Runners have nothing on vegetarians and crossfitters when it comes to proselytizing
Hahahaha! I agree the runner’s high is pretty cool, but it is a thing of the distant past for me. When I got to the point where it took me at least 20+ minutes to warm up enough so I could stretch properly I gave it up. The warm-up and cool down shouldn’t take longer than the actual exercise, besides sex, of course!
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