List of former elite runners who died of heart attacks

I think a study of elites who died of heart disease is too narrow. After all, heart disease is the #1 killer of older adults. Intense exercise floods the body with free radicals, which have been linked to cancer as well as several other major illnesses. It would be better to expand this study into all major diseases.

For example, it would be very interesting to see if there is a higher (or lower) incidence of cancer among lifelong elite runners, especially rare cancers, like brain cancer.

I feel that sagarin on page 1 of this thread made a great point that everyone is ignoring... I guess it is too technical but I think that it is a big issue that runners need to be aware of

If sagarin can elaborate more I think it would be helpful but if he/she wants to talk privately I would love to talk more

naia champ wrote:

Barry Brown?

Barry Brown committed suicide.

The problem with basing activity on "studies" or "free radicals" is they may having nothing to do with how much STRESS you are experiencing. In other words if you are feeling stressed then DIAL BACK your physical or mental activity to 80%! Almost everyone is at or over 100% stress so almost everyone should dial it back!

I am so like 110% stress!

Sagarin wrote:

The pizza, beer, and ice cream diet is a thing of the past or should be.

Damn... there goes my main motivation to get out the door some days...

Red meat should be on that list.

Here is a story that might be of interest to some of you.

I raced my first marathon in 1961 and know 100s of marathon racers/runners of all levels. More importantly than their best time is their level of effort, mileage of training and racing and the weather one raced in.

On he way to the 1971 Boston marathon, I sat next to a runner from Palos Verdes who told me he was traveling with a group of buddies who were age group runners/racers and who ran 15 miles together every Sunday morning and then took turns hosting breakfast. Many ran up to 28 miles on Saturday's also. Many have been award winning age group racers with more than 2 having run a marathon in 2:28.

We still get together every Sunday but most are down to walking. The group fluctuated between 20 and 50 members and at least 16 have died over the years but I can not recall more than one or two heart attacks. Several have had stints put in.

At one time there were at least 6 medical doctors with 2 being cardiologists. One died in A mid air collision at the Reno antique air show many years ago. The majority died of cancer.

Many have atrial fibrilation or other heart problems.

Most have run over 50 marathons and a couple over 200 of them.

Some of the doctors in the group have concluded that we age about ten years more slowly than the normal population.

There are currently about 30 in the group and about 20 are older than I am. I am 77.

5 died in 2013. 4 had cancer and one had Parkinson's disease. Three were with that original group that I met on the plane in 1971. The years of birth of those who died in 2012 were: 1923, 1927, 1927, 1930 and 1939.

The problem why runners drop dead is very simple.

The answer to this catastrophe was told many years ago in Nathan Pritikin's book,

Diet for Runners.

It's all about cholesterol levels, diet and occluded arteries.

Get your cholesterol below 150 (US) measurement

And your arteries won't ever become occluded.

Running means more oxygen requirements and when cholesterol-clogged arteries can't supply this extra amount through pin-prick sized arteries the heart goes into fibrillation and sudden death ensues.

It's all about diet and cholesterol levels.

Good luck does not come into it.

Sorry

Typing too quickly - cannot see edit button

That should have been:

...when cholesterol-clogged arteries can't supply this extra amount of blood needed through pin-prick sized arteries...

All runners stay safe!

Yes, as boring and autistic as it always sounds, it's all about LDL cholesterol:

For young people: don't let your LDL go over 80, and you'll never have a heart attack or atherosclerosis. At least keep it under 100. You'll have a significant risk at 100, and you'll have some atherosclerosis, but it's still relatively low.

For old people who realize they have had high cholesterol for decades: go as low as you can. Even consider a drug boosted regimen of ultra low LDL levels for two years.(here we are talking less than 40 or even 30)

jghjjhh wrote:

Yes, as boring and autistic as it always sounds, it's all about LDL cholesterol:

For young people: don't let your LDL go over 80, and you'll never have a heart attack or atherosclerosis. At least keep it under 100. You'll have a significant risk at 100, and you'll have some atherosclerosis, but it's still relatively low.

For old people who realize they have had high cholesterol for decades: go as low as you can. Even consider a drug boosted regimen of ultra low LDL levels for two years.(here we are talking less than 40 or even 30)

Congratulations , you are the ass of the thread / day .

Statins the answer wrote:

jghjjhh wrote:

Yes, as boring and autistic as it always sounds, it's all about LDL cholesterol:

For young people: don't let your LDL go over 80, and you'll never have a heart attack or atherosclerosis. At least keep it under 100. You'll have a significant risk at 100, and you'll have some atherosclerosis, but it's still relatively low.

For old people who realize they have had high cholesterol for decades: go as low as you can. Even consider a drug boosted regimen of ultra low LDL levels for two years.(here we are talking less than 40 or even 30)

Congratulations , you are the ass of the thread / day .

New PCSK9 inhibitors, even better than statins.

Scott Larsen was and elite triathlete and pro bike racer died at 40-41? Doing a track workout after retirement in bend Oregon.

He had the ability to run 2:20 or close.

But he did pass away. Bummer I heard a great guy... sad.

VCJ you are a idiot.

Ran way behind JD for 2 years at CMU. Only time i ran with him was at the start of our runs leaving Finch. 1st and formost he was the nicest guy i knew. Even to a srub like me. He was clean as a whistle.

VCJ you are a idiot.

Ran way behind JD for 2 years at CMU. Only time i ran with him was at the start of our runs leaving Finch. 1st and formost he was the nicest guy i knew. Even to a srub like me. He was clean as a whistle.

Has no one mentioned Tom Fleming? Sheesh, It was only a few months ago.

Perhaps because this thread is 5-6 years old.....

1. Unless you are reduced to your constituent atoms in an explosion, rendered down in acid, or felled by blunt force injury, don't most people die of heart failure? If you are suffering from cancer, it's heart failure that ultimately kills you.

2. There are many more elite athletes who did not die of sudden heart failure than did. Is the percentage of those who did markedly different from the population at large?