Detroit Marathon Deaths: Autopsies, Cardiac Arrests Suspected

by Yuliya Talmazan | October 19, 2009 at 08:47 am

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The autopsies of the three marathon runners who collapsed during the Detroit marathon on Sunday will be conducted on Monday to find out what caused these men to collapse. The three men -- Daniel Langdon (36), Rick Brown (65) and Jon Fenlon (26) were participating in the half-marathon race. One man collapsed at the finish line while the other two collapsed near the 12 mile mark -- all within 16 minutes of each other. Today, officials states that the temperatures were low enough, and the paramedics were providing assistance within seconds of each man's collapse. The autopsies are underway, but it is believed the men suffered from cardiac arrests.

Detroit marathon is a 26.2 mile race that is run every October in Detroit, Michigan. Over 19,000 people ran the marathon on Sunday. The probability of people dying during marathons is usually really low -- the risk of having a fatal heart attack during or 24 hours after the marathon is 1 in 50,000 according to the studies conducted earlier. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association said today the deaths of the three runners underscores how frequently and indiscriminately sudden cardiac arrest strikes Americans.