Man is 13th to die running London marathon

LONDON - A 36-year-old runner who took part in the London Marathon on Sunday has died after he collapsed during the race, the organisers said on Monday.

They did not name the runner from the south-east of England, who collapsed after the 37km mark.

"Although he received immediate medical treatment and an ambulance was on the scene within three minutes, he died later in hospital," the organisers said.

"Everyone involved in the organisation of the London Marathon would like to express sincere condolences to his family and friends.

"The family has requested privacy and no further details will be released in accordance with their wishes. The cause of death will be established later through medical examination."

The Telegraph reported that he was the 13th runner to have died in the London Marathon, which began in 1981 and which more than a million people have completed.

RunSociety, a Singapore-based online running magazine, published an article in March 2022 analysing why runners, despite being fit, suddenly die while running in marathons.

It said the reason why people collapse near the finishing line is "because the build-up of lactic acid in the blood during the run triggers abnormal heart rhythms and also exhaustion, emotional stress, dehydration and heat stroke".

The article also said that out of a study of 10.9 million marathon runners, 59 had suffered cardiac arrest either during or in the hour after their run and 42 had died.

This equates to a death rate of one per 259,000 participants, compared to one death per 52,630 participants in triathlons.

Liam Cayton, the author and also a competitive triathlete who has taken part in more than 50 races around the world, shared four points of advice with runners - listen to your body, investigate your family history, maintain a healthy cholesterol level, and follow your doctor's advice.

On Sunday, more than 40,000 runners participated in the London Marathon, which was held in October for the third time in a row but will be moved back to its traditional spring slot in April 2023.

The route was from Greenwich Park to the Mall near Buckingham Palace via London landmarks which include the Cutty Sark and Tower Bridge.

Kenyan Amos Kipruto, 30, won his first title in the British capital in 2hr 4min 39sec, while Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw, at 23 the youngest winner of the women's race, stormed to victory in 2:17:26 after recovering from a stumble late on.

REUTERS