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Another death in an endurance event

Sadly someone died this weekend in a race in Edinburgh

It reminded me of DeVany's Top Ten Reasons Not to Run Marathons

It also made me think of this:  Should athletes undergo mandatory ECG screening?  Which I spotted today.


"Screening of hundreds of thousands of athletes to save possibly one life a year, cannot be justified," he concludes.
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Comments

Methuselah said…
I think the title of Art's article should have "at a high intensity" or some other qualifying caveat tacked on the end. The research and examples are oriented towards elite athletes, the dynamics of whose training and performence are entirely different from someone pottering round at persistence-hunt levels of effort.
October 6, 2010 at 1:02 AM
FeelGoodEating said…
Methuselah that is an excellent point. Thanks to Art I was actually afraid to run.
I've been "running" for almost a year now...and I've never felt better.
99% of the deaths are related to top level endurance athletes. The numbers for runners in the USA has been increasing steadily and it's not like the runners are dropping like flies.
I like to run a 5K at a goo clip, but anything more is doe at lower intensity. I will say that my running pleasure is enhanced by my barefoot or VFF decision.

Marc
October 6, 2010 at 4:37 AM
WoLong said…
I am sure there are people who die while lifting weights. Does it mean lifting is bad for you? Don't be fooled by randomness.
October 6, 2010 at 5:42 AM
Chris G said…
Have to differ here, in the London marathon there is usually one death a year from the back of the pack, same with the Great North Run. Probably lifestyle is the factor not the running itself. People follow the programs offered in mags and books and follow a diet and lfestyle that leads to inflammation not helped by too much mileage having an opposite efffect to that intended.
October 6, 2010 at 9:19 AM
Anonymous said…
Marathon is a sports event, and there is no sport that is safe. People get injured when running, playing golf, playing tennis, lifting weights, etc. Death is rare, but it happens occasionally.
October 6, 2010 at 12:21 PM
Chris Robbins said…
I read one of Clarence Bass's newest article: Combined Strength and Endurance Training Best.

Here's the link: http://cbass.com/CombinedStrength_Endurance_Heart.htm

One researcher mentions that “Cardiac adaptations in elite triathletes in our study were not associated with sudden cardiac death,”

Apparently, if you combine strength & endurance your chances of dying during a marathon could be greatly diminished.
October 7, 2010 at 9:33 AM
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