One runner dies running the Baltimore Marathon; three other runners die during the Detroit half marathon.
Is running really that dangerous, or is there more to the story?
Seems like every marathon season there is an increase in these types of stories. The stories leave me asking more questions: what kind of shape are these runners in? Do they have pre-existing heart conditions? What were race conditions like?
Distance running, triathlon, essentially any physical activity that takes you off the couch, carries with it some types or risks.
Research indicates that deaths associated with marathon running and similar events are typically associated with undiagnosed cardiac conditions.
In a study performed at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation in Minnesota, researchers assessed the prevalence of sudden death among 25,413 endurance runners who had competed in marathon running events over a 30-year period. They found that the four sudden deaths that occurred were each due to unsuspected structural cardiovascular disease. None of the four runners had prior documentation of heart disease. The scientists concluded that although marathon runners may have underlying and potentially deadly cardiovascular disease, their risk of sudden cardiac death related to marathon running is very small (1 in 50,000).”
If you are involved in any type of exercise, get a physical; Learn if you have any conditions — cardiac or otherwise — that could impact the shape of your training program or the exercise that is best for you.
As for the media coverage of race deaths, as athletes, we all need to educate non-athletes about the real dangers surrounding our sports.