jmcquown wrote:
>
> Boron Elgar wrote:
> > On Sat, 03 Nov 2007 19:03:33 -0000, Myrl Jeffcoat
> > > wrote:
> >
> >> On Nov 3, 11:56 am, Dave Smith > wrote:
> >>> I never liked running. It wasn't too bad to make short dashes while
> >>> playing kids games, or baseball and football, but I never understood
> >>> jogging and competitive running.
> >>>
> >>> It was bad enough to hear about people screwing up their shins and
> >>> their knees from running, or those older joggers who drop dead of
> >>> heart attacks while out running for fitness. This morning 28 year
> >>> old Ryan Shay died 5 1/2 miles into a 26.2 mile qualifying race for
> >>> the Beijing Olympics.
> >>
> >>
> >> I just saw that on the news. . .Unbelievable! I'm into fitness, but
> >> I'm not a runner. Instead I swim a couple of miles, 4 - 5 times a
> >> week. Much easier on the joints and knees.
> >>
> >> It will be interesting to see what caused this 28 year old top notch
> >> runner to die, 5 1/2 miles into the race.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> > The most common in cause in cases such as this is congenital heart
> > defect, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or a cardiac electrical
> > problem.
> >
> > Boron.
>
> I agree, this is sad. But shouldn't people who plan to compete in Olympic
> (or heck, any professional) events be thoroughly examined by a physician
> first?
>
> Jill

Have had any number of 'thorough' exams when I was doing competitive
swimming. But *none* of them included an ECG. If someone's insurance
won't pay, it doesn't happen.