John Nuttall - RIP

John was the 1989 NCAA Cross Country Champ for Iowa State. John later ran 13:16 when that was a world class time.

John had such a love of running and sharing his love of the sport. I fondly remember when he was doing his teacher training qualification that he took part in the end of year races, where students would do a 1600m relay. Some would do it as an 8x200, some as a medley. John ran the distance by himself, against many who would be 15+ years younger than him and in their prime. It was an epic race: John beat all bar one team, and that was only by a metre. He self-professed he was not much on a rugby pitch or in a gymnastics hall, but everyone was so enthused by his ability, his support for others, and his pure passion. A champion for our sport.

Sad news ... How is it even possible to have a heart attack at such a relatively young age, when he has been so well trained? Does anyone know, whether he was still running these days on regular basis?

It happens. Alem Techale was under 20 and died on a training run. Very sad.

It's really not that unusual.

Genetics, viral damage, artery blockage, damage from severe training in years past, etc. Running creates heart health but it's not a guarantee against heart problems. You also cannot outrun poor diet and lifestyle choices.

That said, it is very sad to see someone leave this Earth at age 56. Condolences to his family.

Yes- amazing runner. Was a 1-2 punch in those days with Koech. Really young to go.

RIP

Very sad news. 56 is no age. RIP.

athleticsweekly.com

British distance runner and coach John Nuttall dies aged 56 - AW

Olympian and Commonwealth 5000m medallist suffers heart attack

Open link

Running is not a cure for all heart related ailments. I think it may help somewhat but I think there are many variables including family history and possibly (really bad) diet.

I was pretty sure I remembered him running at Iowa State but wasn't positive. Thanks for saving me from a search. And obviously he was way too young to go. Loads of sympathy to his family and friends.

Ryan Shay collapsed and died 5 miles into the 2007 marathon trials. He was an experienced marathoner and in great shape.

Terrible thing to see such a great athlete pass away at 56 from a Heart Issue.

That being said, Exercising and being in great shape DOES NOT guarantee that you will not have a heart issue. I know of more than a few instances where Healthy people who were running competitive times or playing Soccer regularly had to have emergency bypass surgery. These people were not anywhere near the stereotypical idea of an Obese person who was a couch potato.

Many of these individuals came from a Family with a history of high cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. They assumed that because they were exercising and able to perform at a high level, they were not suffering from blockages in their arteries.

In fact, Cholesterol is a silent killer. A person could be walking around with no side effects and be at high risk.

I highly recommend any of you who have a familial history of high cholesterol to not only do your regular blood work, but also to get a CT Scan to learn your calcium score. In many instances, your insurance will pay for it- especially if your Doctor wants the scan done because of your Family History.

I had my scan done when I turned 50 and because of it, I was able to take preventative measures before I needed a surgical intervention or, even worse, had an unforseen event happen.

Please consider doing this when you get your next Annual Checkup. It might save you some serious issues later on down the road.

Yep, I mean Tim O'Donnel had a Heart Attack during an Ironman at just 40 years old. Definitely not caused by lack of fitness.

Tough question without knowing his medical history. But there’s many potential causes: MI from heart disease, anatomical abnormalities, arrhythmias, valvular disease, and each of these subdivisions can be due to many different disease processes. I mean you can even die suddenly from medication side effects.