Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

30 year old woman dies during London Marathon

  • 23-04-2012 11:24am
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭ Penny Orange Fox


    I couldn't find a thread on this already, but I just read this:

    http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/london-marathon-hairdresser-30-running-for-the-samaritans-dies-on-final-stretch-of-race-3088699.html
    London Marathon: Hairdresser (30) running for the Samaritans dies on final stretch of race
    By Independent.ie reporters and Murray Wardrop
    Monday April 23 2012

    A 30-YEAR-OLD woman collapsed and died in the final mile of the London Marathon.

    She was named on social networks as hairdresser Claire Squires, who had raised £500 for the Samaritans.

    Ms Squires was almost within sight of the finishing line when she fell to the ground on Birdcage Walk, near Buckingham Palace.

    She was one of more than 37,000 people who took part in the annual 26-mile race.

    From North Kilworth in Leicestershire, she had appealed for sponsorship on the website Justgiving.com saying: “'Hi guys, as you all know I am running the London Marathon. It was just going to be for fun, but it's a fab opportunity to raise money for my charity the Samaritans.

    'If everyone I know could donate £5 that would be a great help and change lives.'

    She was treated by medical teams positioned along the route before she was rushed to hospital by ambulance where she was later pronounced dead.

    Organisers said next of kin had been informed of the runner’s death but were not releasing further details out of respect for her family.

    A Marathon spokesman said: “It is with regret that we have learnt of the death of a competitor.

    “A 30-year-old woman collapsed at Birdcage Walk, and although immediate medical attention was provided to the casualty, the fatality was confirmed this afternoon.

    “The organisers of the Virgin London Marathon would like to express their sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

    “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this difficult time.”

    The fatality occurred with the finishing line only one bend away.

    Birdcage Walk borders St James's Park and is the last road that runners have to travel before reaching Buckingham Palace where they turn onto The Mall on which the finish line is located.

    Competitors do not reach Birdcage Walk until after completing 25 miles of the marathon.

    Organisers said the woman collapsed during the midafternoon but were unable to give a precise time.

    St John Ambulance said it treated 4,850 people at the Marathon today while 30 people taken to hospital.

    The woman's death was the tenth since the London Marathon began in 1981.

    Five of the previous fatalities were a result of heart disease in runners apparently unaware that they had a problem. Four of these were cases of severe coronary heart disease.

    The last competitor to die was a 22-year-old fitness instructor in 2007.

    Prince Harry awarded prizes at the end of today's race praising the tens of thousands of fun runners and amateur athletes who completed the 32nd London Marathon.

    He joked that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge planned to run the 26.2 mile course next year.

    Kenyans Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany dominated the event, taking first place in the men’s and women’s races respectively.

    Kipsang won at his first attempt with a time of two hours four minutes and 44 seconds.

    Compatriot Mary Keitany retained her London Marathon title with a time of two hours 18 minutes and 36 seconds, setting a new national record in the process.

    A host of famous faces also took part in this year's run in support of good causes.

    The fastest female celebrity was Nell McAndrew, who broke down in tears after breaking the three hour mark, finishing with six minutes to spare.

    Rower James Cracknell was the only other celebrity to finish in less than three hours, crossing the line in two hours 59 minutes having recently recovered from a life-threatening head injury.

    Newsreader Sophie Raworth, who collapsed at the 23-mile mark in 2011, banished the memories of last year's marathon to finish the race in three hours 56 minutes.

    British Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls clocked a time of five hours and 33 minutes and revealed he would be celebrating with a well earned bitter.

    Today, a flurry of tributes and donations had been made on the page in the wake of the 30-year-old's sudden death.

    Rebecca Herity wrote: "Such an amazing girl! Miss you so much already! Beautiful angel xxx", while Jo Lovell also wrote: "Amazing lady!xxx".

    Friends also took to Twitter to pay tribute to Ms Squires, who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in March to raise money for the the Royal Air Force Association (RAFA), according to another JustGiving page.

    DaisyMilburn wrote: "R.I.P Claire Squires deeply saddening news & you'll be hugely missed. xx", and Callie Wright wrote: "RIP Claire Squires - lived life to the full. Only lady I know to take hair straightners up a mountain! xxxx RIP Bear xxxxxxxx"

    Shocking stuff. I suppose what was also scary was:
    The woman's death was the tenth since the London Marathon began in 1981.

    Five of the previous fatalities were a result of heart disease in runners apparently unaware that they had a problem. Four of these were cases of severe coronary heart disease.

    The last competitor to die was a 22-year-old fitness instructor in 2007.

    Did anyone here who did the London Marathon yesterday hear or see anything about this when you were over there?


«1345

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Pisco Sour


    Shocking news. Surprised it was London rather than Boston that provided a story like this.


  • Registered Users Posts: 511 ✭✭✭EauRouge79


    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/london-marathon/9220155/Woman-30-dies-less-than-a-mile-from-London-Marathon-finishing-line.html

    Not the picture I was expecting to find. I guess you can be a fit as you like but an underlying condition can catch you out.

    I had a ECG carried out last year as part of a medical just for peace of mind

    Thankfully this is very rare. RIP


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    Very sad news, Was actually a little shocked with the amount of people dropping and been treated over the last few miles. Seen 4-5 been taken off the course and about the same more having blood pressure taken.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,043 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Obviously sad, but 1 person dieing out of 37000 is not unexpected.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,800 ✭✭✭thirstywork2




  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,440 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    Just looked at her charity page and noted she was trying to raise £500...well as of 2:27pm today she has over 22k on it

    http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Squires2

    Her previous charity event was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in March 2011 for the Royal Air Force, so far from unfit. Charity page for that was
    http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Squires1

    Very sad for it to happen but not all that unexpected to see a death with some many people at an event,


  • Registered Users Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    Was strongly thinking of doing my first marathon this year at 48.This has put me rethinking:(


  • Registered Users Posts: 54,495 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Ver sad, and very young. I am surprised there is not more fatalities in marathons with this amount entering. Many many elderly folks too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,396 ✭✭✭ger664


    Cabaal wrote: »
    Just looked at her charity page and noted she was trying to raise £500...well as of 2:27pm today she has over 22k on it

    http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Squires2

    And climbing. Its 28k now @ 2:55


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,723 ✭✭✭kennyb3


    RIP.

    The number of people treated is unbelievably high at 13% of the field.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭ Penny Orange Fox


    ger664 wrote: »
    And climbing. Its 28k now @ 2:55

    £30,274 @ 15:06 :eek:

    Both amazing and sad at the same time....


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    £32k.... @15:15


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,440 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    £30,274 @ 15:06 :eek:

    Both amazing and sad at the same time....

    Certainly have to agree,
    I suppose when you think about it if she had died and had no charity page setup they'd likely be no money being raised and she'd only just be another news story.

    I suppose in this way at least something good can come from such a sad death


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    £100 a minute being donated at the moment :eek:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,065 ✭✭✭crazygeryy


    EauRouge79 wrote: »
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/london-marathon/9220155/Woman-30-dies-less-than-a-mile-from-London-Marathon-finishing-line.html

    Not the picture I was expecting to find. I guess you can be a fit as you like but an underlying condition can catch you out.

    I had a ECG carried out last year as part of a medical just for peace of mind

    Thankfully this is very rare. RIP

    Its a lot less rare than u think.imo anyone who does competitive/strenuous sports should have their heart checked out before they decide to do them.and I speak from experience.my heart problem was found completely by accident.
    Rip to the woman by the way.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,043 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Was strongly thinking of doing my first marathon this year at 48.This has put me rethinking:(
    Why?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 420 ✭✭dev123


    kennyb3 wrote: »
    RIP.

    The number of people treated is unbelievably high at 13% of the field.

    Is 13% higher than average?

    Is there any particular reason for the 13%? The weather looked perfect.

    Is it due to the large number of charity runners who might be undertrained and have been roped into it by friends and family?

    (Not insinuating that charity runners are undertrained - I've been severely undertrained and never ran for charity)


  • Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    dev123 wrote: »
    Is 13% higher than average?
    I guess it depends on what "treated" means. It could be as simple as giving someone a bottle of water and an energy bar because they can't go on.
    I wouldn't be at all surprised if one-eighth of the field had to stop due to cramping, knee/foot injury or hitting the wall.


  • Registered Users Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    robinph wrote: »
    Why?
    Thought it was pretty obvious:D Then again,probably being over dramatic:eek:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    Thought it was pretty obvious:D Then again,probably being over dramatic:eek:

    1 person from 37,000 died during an 8 hour period.

    If you put 37k random people in a big room for 8 hours, the likelihood is that at least one would die. I think this is the point that Robinph was making.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    menoscemo wrote: »
    1 person from 37,000 died during an 8 hour period.

    If you put 37k random people in a big room for 8 hours, the likelihood is that at least one would die. I think this is the point that Robinph was making.
    Would probably be a lot less likely if they were'nt all running for 3 or 4 hours;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    Would probably be a lot less likely if they were'nt all running for 3 or 4 hours;)

    Really? I don't think so ;) In fact I reckon people running 3-4 hours are less likely to die than the average person ;)

    Again, I think you have missed the point.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,818 ✭✭✭nerraw1111


    Sad news.

    The donations to her page are flying up. Around £1,000 every couple of mins. £63,000 now.

    Of the 10 previous deaths at London, 5 were a result of heart disease that apparently the runners were unaware of.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,043 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Thought it was pretty obvious:D Then again,probably being over dramatic:eek:

    Do you believe that it is better for you health to not run?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭TFBubendorfer


    Would probably be a lot less likely if they were'nt all running for 3 or 4 hours;)

    If you are a runner then:

    - you are MORE likely to die in the hours you are actually running.
    but
    - you are LESS likely to die in the hours you are not running.

    Overall, your life expectancy goes up if you're a runner. But this case illustrates how average life expectancy can mean very little in one specific case.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,477 ✭✭✭Peckham


    dev123 wrote: »

    Is 13% higher than average?

    Seems very high. It's broadly in line with the proportion treated by medics in Boston this year, and that was twice as high as the previous year due to the pretty extreme conditions.


  • Registered Users Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    robinph wrote: »
    Do you believe that it is better for you health to not run?
    Dont think i implied that anywhere?


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,043 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Peckham wrote: »
    Seems very high. It's broadly in line with the proportion treated by medics in Boston this year, and that was twice as high as the previous year due to the pretty extreme conditions.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17811481
    BBC News wrote:
    During the 2012 London Marathon, 4,923 runners and members of the public needed assistance, but the bulk of these consultations were for minor concerns. In 2011, 6,000 needed help - many for heat exhaustion linked to the hot weather on the race day.

    Less people treated this year, but as said it will include anyone given any kind of assistance.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,043 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Dont think i implied that anywhere?

    So what were you saying then? :confused:
    Was strongly thinking of doing my first marathon this year at 48.This has put me rethinking:(


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,390 ✭✭✭The Big Red Button


    Very tragic, but the generosity being shown is amazing, and for such a worthwhile cause too! Over 92 grand raised now.


Advertisement