List of marathon fatalities
Below is a sortable list of individuals who died as a result of running a marathon.
Causes of death during the marathon
The most frequent causes are:
- sudden cardiac death, triggered by a congenital or acquired heart disorder;
- exercise-associated hyponatremia or other electrolyte imbalance;
- exertional heat stroke or severe hyperthermia.
The age distribution ranges widely, from the teens through the sixties.
In 2016, a systematic medical review found that the risk of sudden cardiac death during or immediately after a marathon was between 0.6 and 1.9 deaths per 100,000 participants, varying across the specific studies and the methods used, and not controlling for age or gender. This translates to a few published marathon deaths worldwide in a typical year, although the authors lamented the lack of a central registry for the information.[1]
The second major risk arises from imbalanced fluid or electrolyte levels, particularly hyponatremia (sodium deficiency, overhydration, or water intoxication). As a marathon medical director described the counter-intuitive and under-publicized risk in 2005: "There are no reported cases of dehydration causing death in the history of world running, but there are plenty of cases of people dying of hyponatremia."[2]
Heat stroke is an emergency condition in which thermoregulation fails and the body temperature rises above 104 °F (40 °C). It becomes a greater risk in warm and humid weather.[3]
List
Origin | Name [ref.] | Age | Marathon date | Event | Location | Cause / Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Francisco Lázaro[4] | 24 | 15 July 1912 | Olympic Marathon | Stockholm, Sweden | Electrolyte imbalance |
![]() | Jakob Jutz[5] | 35-36 | 26 August 1951 | Swiss Athletics Federation Marathon Championships | Cham, Switzerland | Heart failure |
![]() | Jacques Bussereau[6] | 48 | 28 October 1984 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Duncan Kerr[7] | 28 | 22 September 1985 | Glasgow Marathon | Glasgow, UK | Pneumonia |
![]() | Martin A. Wurst, Jr.[8] | 32 | 2 November 1986 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Coronary artery disease |
![]() | Edwin Brown[9] | 47 | 14 December 1986 | Dallas Marathon | Dallas, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Thomas Becker[10] | 40 | 8 October 1989 | Twin Cities Marathon | Minneapolis, US | Heart attack |
![]() | William McKinney[11] | 59 | 4 March 1990 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Lisa B. Christensen[12] | 19 | 4 November 1990 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Coronary artery abnormality |
![]() | Julius Becza[13] | 58 | 24 October 1993 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Heart attack |
![]() | Samuel Grafton[14] | 42 | 16 October 1994 | Detroit Marathon | Detroit, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Pierre Marguet[15] | 27 | 6 November 1994 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack; also for an unnamed second fatality |
![]() | Humphrey Siesage[16] | 61 | 15 April 1996 | Boston Marathon | Boston, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Anna Loyley[17][18] | 26 | 8 March 1998 | Bath Half Marathon | London, UK | Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome |
![]() | Kelly Barrett[19] | 43 | 11 October 1998 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Hyponatremia |
![]() | Don Scott[20] | 48 | 26 September 1999 | Robin Hood Marathon | Nottingham, UK | Heart attack |
![]() | Danny Towns[19] | 45 | 22 October 2000 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Luke Roach[19] | 22 | 7 October 2001 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Heat stroke |
![]() | Laura M. Clancy[21] | 29 | 20 October 2001 | Baltimore Marathon | Baltimore, US | Brain aneurysm |
![]() | Cynthia Lucero[22] | 28 | 15 April 2002 | Boston Marathon | Boston, US | Hyponatremia |
![]() | Hilary Bellamy[22] | 35 | 27 October 2002 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Hyponatremia |
![]() | Craig Johanson[20] | 28 | 14 September 2003 | Robin Hood Marathon | Nottingham, UK | Cardiac arrhythmia |
![]() | Rachael Townsend[23] | 29 | 12 October 2003 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Mitral valve prolapse |
![]() | James Leone[11] | 60 | 19 March 2006 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Raul Reyna[11] | 53 | 19 March 2006 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, US | Heart attack |
![]() | William Goggins[24] | 43 | 30 July 2006 | San Francisco Marathon | San Francisco, US | Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy |
![]() | George Spears, Sr.[25] | 49 | 1 October 2006 | Twin Cities Marathon | Minneapolis, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Earl Seyford[26] | 56 | 29 October 2006 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Heart attack |
![]() | Marc Witkes[27] | 40 | 10 December 2006 | Tucson Marathon | Tucson, US | Congenital heart abnormalities |
![]() | David Rogers[28] | 22 | 22 April 2007 | London Marathon | London, UK | Hyponatremia |
![]() | Chad Schieber[29] | 35 | 7 October 2007 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Mitral valve prolapse |
![]() | Ryan Shay[30] | 28 | 3 November 2007 | USA Marathon Championships | New York City, US | Cardiac arrhythmia |
![]() | Adam Nickel[31] | 27 | 2 March 2008 | Little Rock Marathon | Little Rock, US | Coronary artery abnormality; electrolyte imbalance |
![]() | Carlos Jose Gomes[32] | 58 | 2 November 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Joseph Marotta[32] | 66 | 2 November 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Fred Costa[32] | 41 | 2 November 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Erin Lahr[33] | 29 | 14 December 2008 | Dallas Marathon | Dallas, US | Cardiac arrhythmia |
![]() | Colin Dunne[34] | 27 | 1 March 2009 | Barcelona Marathon | Barcelona, Spain | Heart attack |
![]() | Peter Curtin[35] | 23 | 10 October 2009 | Baltimore Marathon | Baltimore, US | Undetermined, possible heat stroke; body temperature 107 °F (42 °C) |
![]() | William Caviness | 35 | 9 October 2011 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Ulysses Thomas[36] | 58 | 5 November 2011 | Savannah Marathon | Savannah, US | |
![]() | Claire Squires[37] | 30 | 22 April 2012 | London Marathon | London, UK | Heart attack, DMAA supplement |
![]() | Xavier Jiménez[38] | 45 | 17 March 2013 | Barcelona Marathon | Barcelona, Spain | Heart attack |
![]() | Sam Harper Brighouse[39] | 23 | 14 April 2013 | Brighton Marathon | Brighton, UK | Ischemic colitis |
![]() | R. Jacob Zeman[40] | 35 | 9 November 2013 | Rock 'n' Roll Marathon | Savannah, US | "Unsuspected heart condition" |
![]() | Robert Berry[41] | 42 | 13 April 2014 | London Marathon | London, UK | Heat stroke |
![]() | Manases Alfon Jr.[42] | 38 | 7 February 2016 | Condura Skyway Marathon | Philippines | |
![]() | Arnold Lubang[43] | 40 | 7 February 2016 | Condura Skyway Marathon | Philippines | Cardiac arrest |
![]() | Mike Freeman[44] | 55 | 28 February 2016 | Vodafone Malta Marathon | Sliema, Malta | "Natural causes" |
![]() | David Seath[45] | 31 | 24 April 2016 | London Marathon | London, UK | Heart attack |
![]() | Rob Bremer[46] | 50 | 26 November 2017 | Curacao KLM Marathon | Curacao | Cardiac arrest |
![]() | Matt Campbell[47] | 29 | 22 April 2018 | London Marathon | London, UK | Cardiac arrest |
![]() | Juan Camilo Arboleda Alzate[48] | 38 | 16 September 2018 | Medellín Marathon | Medellín, Colombia | Heart attack |
![]() | Claudio Agurto Spencer[49] | 51 | 7 April 2019 | Santiago Marathon | Santiago, Chile | Aortic dissection |
![]() | Taylor Ceepo[50] | 22 | 19 May 2019 | Cleveland Marathon | Cleveland, US | Cardiac |
![]() | Steve Trickett[51] | 35 | 26 May 2019 | Ottawa Marathon | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Heart Attack |
![]() | Harry Vroulis[52] | 74 | 19 January 2020 | Houston Marathon | Houston, US | Heart attack |
![]() | Gregory McSween | 41 | 9 November 2021 | Marine Corps Marathon | ||
![]() | Bruno Meunier[53] | 41 | 5 June 2022 | Marathon de la Liberté | Caen, France | Heart attack |
![]() | unnamed[54] | 69 | 3 March 2024 | Tokyo Marathon | Sumida, Tokyo | |
![]() | Joey Fecci[55] | 26 | 27 April 2024 | Nashville Marathon | Nashville, US | "Natural causes" |
![]() | Marco Gomes[56] | 42 | 28 April 2024 | Maratona da Europa | Aveiro, PT |
Non-health-related marathon fatalities
Country | Event | Deaths | Date |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Weliveriya bombing | 15 | 5 April 2008 |
![]() | Boston Marathon bombing | 3 | 15 April 2013 |
![]() | Gansu ultramarathon disaster | 21 | 22 May 2021 |
References
- ^ Waite, Oliver; Smith, Andy; Madge, Luke; Spring, Hannah; Noret, Nathalie (January 2016). "Sudden cardiac death in marathons: a systematic review" (PDF). The Physician and Sportsmedicine. 44 (1): 79–84. doi:10.1080/00913847.2016.1135036. PMID 26765272. S2CID 36458482.
- ^ "Marathoners Warned About Too Much Water", The New York Times, 20 October 2005.
- ^ Armstrong, Lawrence E.; Casa, Douglas J.; Millard-Stafford, Mindy; Moran, Daniel S.; Pyne, Scott W.; Roberts, William O.; Roberts, W. O. (March 2007). "American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Exertional heat illness during training and competition". Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 39 (3): 556–572. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e31802fa199. PMID 17473783.
- ^ "Francisco Lázaro, a emborcação no treino", Fórum Olímpico de Portugal.
- ^ "In memoriam Jakob Jutz" (in German).
- ^ "The splendor of the New York City Marathon was...", UPI, 29 October 1984.
- ^ "Can Running Kill?", Scotland's Runner, August 1986.
- ^ "Marine Who Died During Marathon Here Had Undiagnosed Heart Ailment", The Washington Post, 4 November 1986.
- ^ "Dallas White Rock Marathon: The Seventeenth Annual Running"[permanent dead link], December 1986.
- ^ "Runner dies after finishing", St. Cloud Times, 9 October 1989.
- ^ a b c "Exuberance of L.A. Marathon Tempered by Runners' Deaths", Los Angeles Times, 20 March 2006.
- ^ "Marathon's No Random Killer, But No Running From Death", Washington Post, 12 November 1990.
- ^ "Runner's Heart Attack Was Waiting to Happen", The Washington Post, 30 October 1993.
- ^ "Runner, 42, collapses and dies", Detroit Free Press, 17 October 1994.
- ^ "New York City Marathon: Two Runners Are Dead From Cardiac Arrest", The New York Times, 7 November 1994. "A second runner, a man approximately 45 years old whose name was not released by St. Luke's Hospital or marathon officials, also died."
- ^ "Heartbreak Hill Claims Another Victim", Associated Press, 16 April 1996.
- ^ "First aid charity sued over death of runner". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
- ^ Pedoe, Dan Tunstall (2000-04-01). "Sudden cardiac death in sport—spectre or preventable risk?". British Journal of Sports Medicine. 34 (2): 137–140. doi:10.1136/bjsm.34.2.137. ISSN 0306-3674. PMC 1724190. PMID 10786871.
- ^ a b c "How marathons can kill you", Chicago Sun-Times, 6 October 2002.
- ^ a b "Marathon death man named", BBC, 15 September 2003.
- ^ "Marathon Runner Collapses, Dies", The Baltimore Sun, 11 October 2009.
- ^ a b "Too Much of a Good Thing", The Washington Times, 23 October 2003.
- ^ "Coach copes with wife's death", The Columbus Dispatch, 27 January 2004.
- ^ "The Fit Man's Heart Threat", Men's Health, 23 August 2007.
- ^ "Man who died in Twin Cities Marathon was experienced runner", Associated Press, 2 October 2006.
- ^ "Runner collapses, dies during Marine Corps Marathon", Associated Press, 30 October 2006.
- ^ "Man who died in marathon had congenital heart disease", Tucson Citizen, 23 January 2007.
- ^ "Marathon victim died from drinking too MUCH water". 13 April 2012.
- ^ "Autopsy: Man who died in Chicago Marathon had heart condition", Associated Press, 8 October 2007.
- ^ "Ryan Shay dies in U.S. Olympic marathon trials", USA Today, 3 November 2007.
- ^ "Doctors: Ark. marathon runner died of rare mix of heart condition, electrolyte abnormalities", Associated Press, 7 April 2008.
- ^ a b c "Secrets of the New York City Marathon". amNewYork. 4 November 2016.
- ^ "Heart condition caused White Rock Marathon runner's death", The Dallas Morning News, 2 March 2009.
- ^ "Teacher dies from heart attack during marathon", The Independent, 2 March 2009.
- ^ "Runner Was MIT Student; N.C. Native Died During The Baltimore Marathon Saturday", The Baltimore Sun, 13 October 2009.
- ^ "Marathon runner was 'picture of health,' wife says", Savannah Morning News, 9 November 2011.
- ^ "Claire Squires inquest: DMAA was factor in marathon runner's death", BBC, 30 January 2013.
- ^ "Muere un atleta en el maratón de Barcelona", El Periódico de Aragón, 17 March 2013.
- ^ "Brighton marathon runner died from bowel failure", The Guardian, 28 August 2013.
- ^ "Mr. Robert Jacob (Jake) Zeman obituary", Tributes.com, 11 November 2013.
- ^ "London marathon runner died yards from finish after his body overheated", London Evening Standard, 28 August 2014.
- ^ ", ABS-CBN Sports, 8 February 2016.
- ^ ", Rappler, 8 February 2016.
- ^ "Marathon runner died of natural causes – police", Times of Malta, 1 March 2016.
- ^ "London Marathon runner David Seath dies after collapsing near finish line", The Guardian, 25 April 2016.
- ^ "Runner dies during KLM marathon", Antilliaans Dagblad, 27 November 2017.
- ^ "London Marathon: Masterchef semi-finalist Matt Campbell dies", BBC News, 22 April 2017.
- ^ "Juan Camilo Arboleda, profesor universitario murió de un paro en Media Maratón de Medellín". Semena. September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Murió maratonista en la Marathon De Santiago". El Mostrador. 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2019-03-19.
- ^ Livingston, Doug. "Woman, 22, dies in Cleveland Marathon; soccer player was graduate of St. V-M and Walsh University". Akron Beacon Journal.
- ^ Duffy, Andrew. "Her husband died in 2019 Ottawa marathon. This year, she'll be on the start line". Ottawa Citizen.
- ^ McCord, Cory (21 January 2020). "Runner dies after suffering heart attack during 2020 Chevron Houston Marathon". khou.com.
- ^ "Le Marathon de la Liberté à Caen endeuillé par la mort d'un participant". franceinfo. June 5, 2022.
- ^ "東京マラソンで転倒した69歳の男性亡くなる 主催財団が発表 2007年開催から初の死者:東京新聞 TOKYO Web". 東京新聞 TOKYO Web (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Nashville chef, 26, identified as runner who died in St. Jude marathon". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "Homem que morreu na maratona de Aveiro era técnico de futsal: "Chocante"". noticiasaominuto (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-05-01.
Further reading
- Burfoot, Amby. "Are marathons dangerous?", Runner's World, 3 November 2008.
- English, Joe. "Why do runners die during marathons?", Running-Advice.com, 13 March 2008.
- Noakes, Tim. "Waterlogged: The Serious Problem of Overhydration in Endurance Sports", Human Kinetics, 2012. ISBN 978-1-4504-2497-4.
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