Great North Run - short review

[Tim]

I wonder what causes these apparently fit healthy people just to keel over and die after years of running?

Amongst inexperienced runners, dehydration and heat exhaustion are probably the commonest causes. If they over hydrate with plain water then hyponatraemia may ensue which is *very* nasty and can kill or permenantly addle your brain.

In addition, it's quite possible to have an undectected heart problem that only becomes a problem in extreme circumstances. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is high on the list as are intracardiac conduction defects that cause rhythm disturbances (and/or death).

I personally reckon if you've been running and racing regularly for years the chances of undetected HOCM and conduction defects are probably very slight so I don't lose any sleep over them. (If they were going to kill you, they'd probably already have done so). ;-)