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
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

30 year old woman dies during London Marathon

245

Comments

  • #32
    Slogger Jogger
    Registered Users Posts: 5,441 ✭✭✭Slogger Jogger


    RIP. Very tragic indeed. I've gotten out of the habit of doing the annual health check. Must get that sorted. A doctor's surgery I used to frequent in Wicklow did a check up with bloods and ECG for less than €100. Was worth the peace of mind particularly if there is a family history of one thing or another.

    Incidentally, I donated platelets today so a simple donation like this or the pint of blood is a nice easy way to get a basic health check.


  • #33
    baza1976
    Registered Users Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭baza1976


    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.


    Therell be 100,000 people in the new camp tomorrow night watching Barca, with the majority there for 3 hrs or more. How many do you predict will die?


  • #34
    menoscemo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    baza1976 wrote: »
    Therell be 100,000 people in the new camp tomorrow night watching Barca, with the majority there for 3 hrs or more. How many do you predict will die?

    Depends on the result ;)
    Serioulsy though I was in Croke Park for a leinster final a few years ago and unfortunately witnessed a man have a heart attack and die right behind me. I guess it happens a lot at sporting events like that but those stories wouldn't make the news.


  • #35
    BeepBeep67
    Registered Users Posts: 8,079 ✭✭✭BeepBeep67


    baza1976 wrote: »
    Therell be 100,000 people in the new camp tomorrow night watching Barca, with the majority there for 3 hrs or more. How many do you predict will die?

    0.31 if they are there for 3hrs and the sample of 100,000 matches the average mortality rate for Spain which is 9 in 1000.


  • #36
    EauRouge79
    Registered Users Posts: 511 ✭✭✭EauRouge79


    From Cork Running Blog.

    "This has of course raised the subject in the mainstream press about how safe running a Marathon actually is? The reality is that fatalities are very rare. The 30-year-old woman who collapsed close to the finish line of the 2012 London Marathon is the 10th participant to die since the event began in 1981. Five of these were linked to heart conditions like blocked heart blood vessels or a structural congenital problem with the heart. Similarly, US research has looked at nearly 11 million runners who participated in marathons or half-marathons between 2000 and 2010. Over the decade, 59 of the runners had a cardiac arrest - where the heart stops working - and 42 of these people died. This means one death in every 259,000 runners. Most had underlying heart conditions or heart disease."

    Im going to continue my health checks but its certainly not going to stop me running.


  • Advertisement
  • #37
    belcarra
    Registered Users Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    Over £200,000 now donated.
    I wouldn't be surprised if it went over 1 million quid.
    A real shame what happened but what a legacy to leave!


  • #38
    TheRoadRunner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,983 ✭✭✭TheRoadRunner


    Obviously sad news but in the same vein as mentioned before, what a generous way for people to show their sadness by donating to a good cause.

    On the health side of things. This death should not put people off running marathons but at the same time should remind everybody (runners/non-runners) that a regular health check is advisable.

    Regards the fatality stats. Brenadan foster said over 800,000 people have ran London since it's inception 31 years ago. I'd be interested to see a comparison to the number of amateur football players (or any other sport) who have died while playing weekend league football. I'm guessing the numbers would be the same in relative terms.


  • #39
    JohnnyCrash
    Registered Users Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    JohnnyCrash wrote: »
    Was strongly thinking of doing my first marathon this year at 48.This has put me rethinking:(
    robinph wrote: »
    Why?
    JohnnyCrash wrote: »
    Thought it was pretty obvious:D Then again,probably being over dramatic:eek:
    robinph wrote: »
    Do you believe that it is better for you health to not run?
    JohnnyCrash wrote: »
    Dont think i implied that anywhere?
    robinph wrote: »
    So what were you saying then? :confused:
    What i said was that it put me rethinking,thats not hard to undrstand is it? I cant see how you would take from that,that i believe it better for my health not to run? I run 35 miles per week so that knocks that on the head;),but i do it over 5 days.It simply put me rethinking about running most of it all at the one time,thats all.


  • #40
    tHE vAGGABOND
    Registered Users Posts: 6,686 ✭✭✭tHE vAGGABOND


    My medical insurance gives me a "comprehensive" medical check a year - and I always get it done [since I got healthy a few years ago anyway] - those of us putting our body under stress every day need to keep on top of these things.

    Interesting the articles I have read on this tragic subject always says that vast majority of deaths in marathons are due to undiscovered medical issues, many of which could have been addressed had they been known about.

    So this death really is tragic, but its a wake up call to those of us on here to ensure your body is in tip top shape - inside and out.


  • #41
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    JohnnyCrash wrote: »
    What i said was that it put me rethinking,thats not hard to undrstand is it? I cant see how you would take from that,that i believe it better for my health not to run? I run 35 miles per week so that knocks that on the head;),but i do it over 5 days.It simply put me rethinking about running most of it all at the one time,thats all.

    That brings us back to my original question. Why has this made you re-think the idea of doing a marathon? Do you think you will die doing a marathon? Do you think you will die training for a marathon? What is the risk that you have suddenly become concerned about?


  • Advertisement
  • #42
    RoyMcC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭RoyMcC


    tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »
    its a wake up call to those of us on here to ensure your body is in tip top shape - inside and out.

    I know what you mean but I still had to laugh. My 'tip top' shape never existed and it's further away than ever now. I still go out running and racing though without thinking the worst. If your time's up, off you go. And what better way to go than doing what you enjoy.

    If there's any comfort at all for the woman's family then that is it.


  • #43
    Muppet Man
    Registered Users Posts: 1,650 ✭✭✭Muppet Man


    Very Slightly off Topic:
    Interestingly the odds of dying (on average) any hour in Ireland are 1 in 1.1 million (Death rate 4 per hour).

    (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=68634420&postcount=10)

    Back on Topic:
    I'm 39 and have a heart condition... PAC/PVC. I ran my first marathon last year and I'm running my second marathon in Kildare in May. Its as much about knowing and running within your limits as anything else. The benefits of running outweigh the risks, IMHO.

    Peace.
    Muppet Man.


  • #44
    rom
    Registered Users Posts: 5,135 ✭✭✭rom


    robinph wrote: »
    That brings us back to my original question. Why has this made you re-think the idea of doing a marathon? Do you think you will die doing a marathon? Do you think you will die training for a marathon? What is the risk that you have suddenly become concerned about?

    "stress testing was used to 'screen' marathon entrants, two people would be killed during stress testing for every one athlete potentially saved" "If one assumes an average finishing time of four hours, the 800,000 figure projects a death rate of one per 200,000 marathon entrants, considerably lower than the earlier estimate of one in 50,000" Source article which seem well referenced http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/heart-attack-risks-are-greater-for-athletes-who-compete-in-endurance-sports-263


  • #45
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    The donations are still flying in for the Samaritans. About £60,000 in the last hour since they had a spot on BBC Breakfast chatting with a couple of people from the charity as well. All the coverage in todays papers will make the donations continue to flood in today.


  • #46
    MoonDancer
    Registered Users Posts: 706 ✭✭✭MoonDancer


    Very sad tragedy.

    The donations are at :
    £290,862.02 raised
    26,157 donations





    Just amazing!


  • #47
    martyoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 872 ✭✭✭martyoo


    My medical insurance gives me a "comprehensive" medical check a year

    What is a comprehensive medical check? I'm doing my first marathon this year and need to get checked out.

    Is it enough to get bloods and an ECG done?


  • #48
    G-Money
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,200 ✭✭✭G-Money


    martyoo wrote: »
    What is a comprehensive medical check? I'm doing my first marathon this year and need to get checked out.

    Is it enough to get bloods and an ECG done?

    I'd suggest going to your GP and basically telling him/her what you've said above, see what they say and go from there.


  • #49
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users Posts: 19,495 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    Marathons do not cause fatalities. Prolonged exercise with (potentially undetected) health concerns (such as issues related to the heart) is a risk. It's a very sad incident, but she may well have run into problems on a soccer pitch, playing tennis, or dancing in a night club. The difference is the level of media coverage when it occurs during a marathon (as marathons generate a lot of media attention).

    More and more people are running marathons every year, so the incident rates will go up (400k runners in the US in 2005 -> 518K in 2011). That doesn't mean that marathons are becoming more dangerous. It merely means that more people with health concerns are exposing themselves to risk.

    Some city marathons (e.g. Paris, Rome) require that you complete a medical examination and submit the results as part of your application. Others require that you complete an online questionnaire to establish if you are an at-risk individual (e.g. Berlin). If the media focus continues, then at some point we will all have to get medical clearance before running every marathon, which I personally wouldn't welcome (but may have highlighted this 30-year old's issues).


  • #50
    huskerdu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭huskerdu


    robinph wrote: »
    The donations are still flying in for the Samaritans. About £60,000 in the last hour since they had a spot on BBC Breakfast chatting with a couple of people from the charity as well. All the coverage in todays papers will make the donations continue to flood in today.

    It is a great way for people to honour her memory and I am very pleased for the Samaritans which I think are a fantastic organisation.


  • #51
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Figure is at £330k now, it'll easily hit £500k.

    To put that in perspective, £500k would represent 5% of the Samaritans total income for the year, or 15% of their voluntary donation income for the year...in 48 hours.


  • Advertisement
  • #52
    Kolido
    Registered Users Posts: 13,358 ✭✭✭✭Kolido


    robinph wrote: »
    That brings us back to my original question. Why has this made you re-think the idea of doing a marathon? Do you think you will die doing a marathon? Do you think you will die training for a marathon? What is the risk that you have suddenly become concerned about?

    Hearing of this sad new has effected him psychologically. Is that so hard to accept?


  • #53
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Kolido wrote: »
    Hearing of this sad new has effected him psychologically. Is that so hard to accept?

    Not at all, we can help with that by presenting facts about how marathon running is not a dangerous activity and that there is no reason to be concerned.

    See previous posts from various people.


  • #54
    ncmc
    Registered Users Posts: 4,852 ✭✭✭ncmc


    What a terrible thing to have happened, I’m sure it’s taken the shine off the marathon for those who took part. My sympathies go to this young woman’s family.

    It is very sobering thought that a young, fit, seemingly healthy woman can collapse and die like that. Cases like this and also Fabrice Muamba show that even the healthiest people can have underlying issues.

    The one positive thing about this (bar the money raised for charity of course) is that I’m sure a lot of people will make sure they have a full MOT before taking on to run the marathon. I am 33 next month and running my first marathon this year, it would never have occurred to me to get checked out before the serious training begins, but I will definitely be getting a full health check now.

    JohnnyCash, I can see why you would have some reservations about running the marathon after hearing this story, but you wouldn’t stop driving if you heard about someone dying in a car crash, or stop flying because you heard about a plane crash. We all take risks every day of our lives, get yourself checked out by a doctor, make sure you train properly and safely and the overwhelming odds are you’ll be fine!


  • #55
    JohnnyCrash
    Registered Users Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    ncmc wrote: »
    What a terrible thing to have happened, I’m sure it’s taken the shine off the marathon for those who took part. My sympathies go to this young woman’s family.

    It is very sobering thought that a young, fit, seemingly healthy woman can collapse and die like that. Cases like this and also Fabrice Muamba show that even the healthiest people can have underlying issues.

    The one positive thing about this (bar the money raised for charity of course) is that I’m sure a lot of people will make sure they have a full MOT before taking on to run the marathon. I am 33 next month and running my first marathon this year, it would never have occurred to me to get checked out before the serious training begins, but I will definitely be getting a full health check now.

    JohnnyCash, I can see why you would have some reservations about running the marathon after hearing this story, but you wouldn’t stop driving if you heard about someone dying in a car crash, or stop flying because you heard about a plane crash. We all take risks every day of our lives, get yourself checked out by a doctor, make sure you train properly and safely and the overwhelming odds are you’ll be fine!
    Im not sure about the driving/flying analogy though,not comparable in this case;)
    But all that aside,the last few posts have been more constructive.I thought at one stage I was just being a big jessy.Cheers:)


  • #56
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users Posts: 19,495 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    JohnnyCrash wrote: »
    Im not sure about the driving/flying analogy though,not comparable in this case;)
    But all that aside,the last few posts have been more constructive.I thought at one stage I was just being a big jessy.Cheers:)
    Your username is JohnnyCrash. You probably have more immediate risks to your long term health than running marathons. :)


  • #57
    JohnnyCrash
    Registered Users Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    Krusty_Clown wrote: »
    Your username is JohnnyCrash. You probably have more immediate risks to your long term health than running marathons. :)
    Ha ha ha,I dont think so.My first name is John,one of the kids called me Johnny which led to Johnny Cash but the little fella at the time couldnt get to grips with it and it came out as Johnny Crash.Its stuck since!!:D


  • #58
    PaulieC
    Registered Users Posts: 6,183 ✭✭✭PaulieC


    Personally, I'd prefer not to know if there was something potentially wrong with me. Then I'd just end up sitting at home worrying about what might happen. While this is indeed a really sad case, especially given her family story, I hope it doesn't attract too much attention from the PC brigade who'll start to mandate medical certs and insurance premiums for events. No thanks


  • #59
    BeepBeep67
    Registered Users Posts: 8,079 ✭✭✭BeepBeep67


    JohnnyCrash wrote: »
    Im not sure about the driving/flying analogy though,not comparable in this case;)
    But all that aside,the last few posts have been more constructive.I thought at one stage I was just being a big jessy.Cheers:)

    I don't want to be on the plane when the pilot has a heart attack :eek:


  • #60
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users Posts: 19,495 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    cambo_gueno wrote: »
    Personally, I'd prefer not to know if there was something potentially wrong with me.
    You'd rather die young, during a marathon (or <<insert activity here>>), rather than be in a position to identify and rectify your particular ailment? Medicine has moved on to a point where there's a pretty good chance of survival when a problem has been identified!


  • Advertisement
  • #61
    christeb
    Registered Users Posts: 2,435 ✭✭✭christeb


    cambo_gueno wrote: »
    Personally, I'd prefer not to know if there was something potentially wrong with me. Then I'd just end up sitting at home worrying about what might happen. While this is indeed a really sad case, especially given her family story, I hope it doesn't attract too much attention from the PC brigade who'll start to mandate medical certs and insurance premiums for events. No thanks

    You'd prefer not to know if something was wrong with your heart? You do know doctors and surgeons can fix things, don't you?


Advertisement