London marathon fatality

Frank the tank

Terrible for the woman and her family.

I didn't realise but, since its inaugural running ELEVEN have died running in it.

To me that's a lot, one every three years.

Cleat Eastwood

indeed, I dont think people realise what strain that type of running puts on the body - she was young too, must have been a total shock for her family and friends.

Omar Little

Nearly 900'000 runners over that time though.

Take the same number of football fans watching a dramatic match (particularly something like a penalty shoot out) then i suspect the numbers would be even more.

Kendal Black Drop

Apparently she had raised £500 sponsorship for the Samaritans.

People have been visiting her JustGiving page and making donations and it is currently at £99,000.

cooldad

Frank the tank wrote:

Terrible for the woman and her family.

I didn't realise but, since its inaugural running ELEVEN have died running in it.

To me that's a lot, one every three years.

I believe in that time, more than eleven have died NOT running it.

Big Jim1

Poor girl. I heard about this.

i've heard that marathon runners can die from drinking too much water. As they lose all their electrolites.

Though I suppose also, like Fabrice Muamba, you can be seemingly very fit then your body just says no one day. Perhaps an underlying problem that was hidden until it's too late.

RIP. Died trying to help others.

verylonglegs

Let's not forget it's very name comes from a fable of someone running until they die..it's pretty brutal on the body running that distance which I think often gets over-looked amongst the cheery interviews and smiles that get broadcast on the day. I've always been a runner as well as a cyclist but wouldn't do road running, far too hard on the joints for my liking, but you just can't account for random events like this.

Very small consolation but at least she was pursing something she wanted to do and living life as well as possible.

AndyD2574

Her page is now at £166K!!!!

Tragedy for her and her family.

Total respect to all those that have donated.

Fastlad

A crazy event for anyone but trained athletes. That poor girl collapsed and died near the finish. She obviously put her body through hell before hand and the so called, marathon runners "wall." May she rest in peace.

cougie

Very sad for everyone involved but people drop dead every day.

None of us know the story of this one - so lets not speculate ?

Most of the past deaths were due to undiagnosed heart weaknesses. The most recent death was due to hyponatremia. It was a hot race and the guy concerned took on far too much fluid.

Marathon running is hard but the body is usually very good at protecting you. If you've not trained very well - it usually kicks in and you'll be walking the rest.

We've all got to die sometime and I would rather go out doing something I like doing.

Loretta Damage

Tragic death. I read some time ago that running a marathon can damage the body to the extent where each one will degrade the vital organs to the point where it can take a year off your life expectancy. That is pretty brutal.

jim453

Loretta Damage wrote:

Tragic death. I read some time ago that running a marathon can damage the body to the extent where each one will degrade the vital organs to the point where it can take a year off your life expectancy. That is pretty brutal.

Very interesting. Poor old Eddie Izzard can't have a great deal of time left.

What else have you read? Anything substantiated by evidence in any way at all?

RDW

Kendal Black Drop wrote:

Apparently she had raised £500 sponsorship for the Samaritans.

People have been visiting her JustGiving page and making donations and it is currently at £99,000.

It's nearly double that now...

Rigga

Frank the tank wrote:

Terrible for the woman and her family.

I didn't realise but, since its inaugural running ELEVEN have died running in it.

To me that's a lot, one every three years.

Yeah RIP to the poor girl , i thought it was more than eleven, actually i thought at least one died every year.

cougie

Loretta Damage wrote:

Tragic death. I read some time ago that running a marathon can damage the body to the extent where each one will degrade the vital organs to the point where it can take a year off your life expectancy. That is pretty brutal.

Thats clearly bollox though and impossible to prove.

I've run ten londons, three others and eight ironman marathons so that would take 42 years off my life ??? I have a pal who's done about 120 marathons so that's 240 years off her life !

Frank the tank

verylonglegs wrote:

Let's not forget it's very name comes from a fable of someone running until they die..it's pretty brutal on the body running that distance which I think often gets over-looked amongst the cheery interviews and smiles that get broadcast on the day. I've always been a runner as well as a cyclist but wouldn't do road running, far too hard on the joints for my liking, but you just can't account for random events like this.

Very small consolation but at least she was pursing something she wanted to do and living life as well as possible.

The last line of your post mate is a sentiment often made in such circumstances.While that itself, can't be argued with, unless the poor girl "went out like a light" her last moments would possibly have been wracked with pain. Hence a bloody horrible way to die really possibly the same could be said about Tom Simpson.

I don't mean to come across as uncaring or dis-respectful I'm not, I'm genuinley sorry for her and her family it's the "At least they died doing something they loved" statement In my mind counts for nowt, the poor soul is still dead. The only people it can be of any comfort to are her nearest and dearest.

Not a go at you verylonglegs by the way.

Frank the tank

cougie wrote:

Loretta Damage wrote:

Tragic death. I read some time ago that running a marathon can damage the body to the extent where each one will degrade the vital organs to the point where it can take a year off your life expectancy. That is pretty brutal.

Thats clearly bollox though and impossible to prove.

I've run ten londons, three others and eight ironman marathons so that would take 42 years off my life ??? I have a pal who's done about 120 marathons so that's 240 years off her life !

And if she smokes.drinks, works shifts and lives oooop north she would have had to have been 370 when she was born.

cougie

Frank the tank wrote:

While that itself, can't be argued with, unless the poor girl "went out like a light" her last moments would possibly have been wracked with pain.

You've no idea what happened ? So why spout such theories ?

Frank the tank

cougie wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

While that itself, can't be argued with, unless the poor girl "went out like a light" her last moments would possibly have been wracked with pain.

You've no idea what happened ? So why spout such theories ?

You're right but the word "possibly" is there and key.

cougie

Still seems a bit unnecessary.

Frank the tank

cougie wrote:

Still seems a bit unnecessary.

TBH fella, you quoted just that one line which by itself does make me sound a bit of a sh1t, but when the rest of my post is taken into acount I don't think uncaring tosspot is the way most would interpret my comment.

CiB

Frank the tank wrote:

cougie wrote:

Still seems a bit unnecessary.

TBH fella, you quoted just that one line which by itself does make me sound a bit of a sh1t, but when the rest of my post is taken into acount I don't think uncaring tosspot is the way most would interpret my comment.

Sadly and for the first time ever I have to agree with you Frank. It's a nice thing to say on the face of it but in the end a bit of a hollow phrase when the action it describes is so brutally final. And dying at 31 is pretty chuffing brutal, no matter how it occurs.

Looks like her page has gone viral - £215000 and rising.

verylonglegs

Frank the tank wrote:

verylonglegs wrote:

Let's not forget it's very name comes from a fable of someone running until they die..it's pretty brutal on the body running that distance which I think often gets over-looked amongst the cheery interviews and smiles that get broadcast on the day. I've always been a runner as well as a cyclist but wouldn't do road running, far too hard on the joints for my liking, but you just can't account for random events like this.

Very small consolation but at least she was pursing something she wanted to do and living life as well as possible.

The last line of your post mate is a sentiment often made in such circumstances.While that itself, can't be argued with, unless the poor girl "went out like a light" her last moments would possibly have been wracked with pain. Hence a bloody horrible way to die really possibly the same could be said about Tom Simpson.

I don't mean to come across as uncaring or dis-respectful I'm not, I'm genuinley sorry for her and her family it's the "At least they died doing something they loved" statement In my mind counts for nowt, the poor soul is still dead. The only people it can be of any comfort to are her nearest and dearest.

Not a go at you verylonglegs by the way.

I understand what you are saying but I wasn't really regarding the moment of death itself but the more the fact she, and indeed us on here with cycling, was able to pursue something like running as a leisure activity because we live in an affluent society. Racing bikes for fun is a priviledge compared to how some people live and struggle to exist which is what my comment really reflects.

ddraver

Well this is an anecdote of 1, but one of my friends in a beautiful, if black, bit of irony, had a Muamba Moment* at, the Race for Life. She was incredibly lucky that it happened right at the end of the race under the nose of the paramedics who were able to revive her. Had it happened at almost any other part of the course she'd have died - Shes says (again, whingers, I'm well aware that his is an anecdoete of 1) that she never felt anything, it was just lights out...

Condolances to this girls family and all the rest 9I'm sure they re not reading a bike forum), and big up respect to everyone who has donated!

*(what we re now calling it)

Cumulonimbus

Yes, deaths do sometimes happen in marathons and half-marathons (probably shorter races too). 4 died in the Great North Run back in 2005.

Found this article online that goes into a bit more detail. Seems that younger people are more likely to die, apparently due to their heart attacks being more likely to be genetic conditions.

http://sweatscience.com/marathon-heart- ... -new-data/

Have seen before a study of where people were most likely to suffer heart attacks and it seemed to suggest that it was the last mile/within sight of the finish where it was most likely. Whether this was down to people putting in one last effort for the finish or not i dont know. Cant find the article now though.

Frank the tank

verylonglegs wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

verylonglegs wrote:

Let's not forget it's very name comes from a fable of someone running until they die..it's pretty brutal on the body running that distance which I think often gets over-looked amongst the cheery interviews and smiles that get broadcast on the day. I've always been a runner as well as a cyclist but wouldn't do road running, far too hard on the joints for my liking, but you just can't account for random events like this.

Very small consolation but at least she was pursing something she wanted to do and living life as well as possible.

The last line of your post mate is a sentiment often made in such circumstances.While that itself, can't be argued with, unless the poor girl "went out like a light" her last moments would possibly have been wracked with pain. Hence a bloody horrible way to die really possibly the same could be said about Tom Simpson.

I don't mean to come across as uncaring or dis-respectful I'm not, I'm genuinley sorry for her and her family it's the "At least they died doing something they loved" statement In my mind counts for nowt, the poor soul is still dead. The only people it can be of any comfort to are her nearest and dearest.

Not a go at you verylonglegs by the way.

I understand what you are saying but I wasn't really regarding the moment of death itself but the more the fact she, and indeed us on here with cycling, was able to pursue something like running as a leisure activity because we live in an affluent society. Racing bikes for fun is a priviledge compared to how some people live and struggle to exist which is what my comment really reflects.

Fair do's fella.

CambsNewbie

Now up to £440k!!!

Most of the donations seem to be £5-£20. To me it shows what an amazing country we live in. We might slag it off because we don't agree with particular taxes, or government policies or the weather or whatever but fundamentally we have a good society. Makes me feel very moved and proud to be British.

Zingzang

CambsNewbie wrote:

Now up to £440k!!!

To me it shows what an amazing country we live in. Makes me feel very moved and proud to be British.

All very positive, I agree. It would be interesting to know the reason for people's unusual generosity, though. Maybe it is just the publicity the story has received, or is there an additional factor at work, perhaps?

bornagainbiker

From being shocked at her death and hearing about her history of fund raising, I felt extremely humbled by her efforts and wanted to make a lasting statement to Claire Squires goodness. RIP

JamesB

since its inaugural running ELEVEN have died running in it.

whilst this has obviously been a very tragic loss to all maybe in wider context many more than 11 lives may have been saved by taking up activities such as running / cycling and moving to a more active lifestyle ?

Frank the tank

JamesB wrote:

since its inaugural running ELEVEN have died running in it.

whilst this has obviously been a very tragic loss to all maybe in wider context many more than 11 lives may have been saved by taking up activities such as running / cycling and moving to a more active lifestyle ?

A good point mate.