1 runner dead, 4 others in comas after half-marathon
JERUSALEM (AP) - An Israeli soldier died of a heat stroke Friday after completing a half-marathon in Tel Aviv, prompting Israel's minister of public security to criticize organizers for allowing the race to take place during a heat wave.
The soldier collapsed and was rushed to a hospital, but medics were unable to resuscitate him, said rescue services spokesman Zaki Heller. The race was run in temperatures around 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit).
The military identified the dead soldier as Sgt. Michael Michalevitch, 29, who served in the military's canine special forces.
Four other runners who collapsed from the heat were put in medically induced comas and are on respirators at a Tel Aviv hospital, Heller said. In total, medics treated more than 50 runners at the race, he said.
Yitzhak Aharonovich, Israel's public security minister, said on Israel Radio that the incident was "very serious" and suggested that race organizers could be held responsible for not cancelling the race after heat was predicted.
The Tel Aviv municipality expressed regret over the death of the runner but defended its actions, saying it had followed the instructions of health officials. It postponed the full marathon of 42.2 kilometers (26.2 miles) initially scheduled for Friday in anticipation of the heat wave, and started the half-marathon of 21.1 kilometers (13.1 miles) earlier in the morning to avoid the hottest temperatures.
The municipality said in a statement that when the runner died, Israel's national weather service had reported only a light heat wave.
The soldier collapsed and was rushed to a hospital, but medics were unable to resuscitate him, said rescue services spokesman Zaki Heller. The race was run in temperatures around 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit).
The military identified the dead soldier as Sgt. Michael Michalevitch, 29, who served in the military's canine special forces.
Four other runners who collapsed from the heat were put in medically induced comas and are on respirators at a Tel Aviv hospital, Heller said. In total, medics treated more than 50 runners at the race, he said.
Yitzhak Aharonovich, Israel's public security minister, said on Israel Radio that the incident was "very serious" and suggested that race organizers could be held responsible for not cancelling the race after heat was predicted.
The Tel Aviv municipality expressed regret over the death of the runner but defended its actions, saying it had followed the instructions of health officials. It postponed the full marathon of 42.2 kilometers (26.2 miles) initially scheduled for Friday in anticipation of the heat wave, and started the half-marathon of 21.1 kilometers (13.1 miles) earlier in the morning to avoid the hottest temperatures.
The municipality said in a statement that when the runner died, Israel's national weather service had reported only a light heat wave.
You can't put enough 'S's on Stupid...
See how it was hot in a 2mn videoÂ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6I7z0pWMRc
As a half-marathoner (who runs in Florida -- where "90 and 100% humidity" is what we call "May through October"), there may be more than enough blame to go around. The runners who were injured should have respected their limits, and hydrated more (can't speak enough about the value of water when it's hot), and the organizers should have probably announced before the starting gun where the water breaks were and told the runners the forecast conditions... but ultimately, the blame falls on the runners. They are the ones who chose to keep going, rather than falling out at an aid station (generally there's one every 2 or so miles on a half marathon) or taking a walk break to cool off. Your body tells you when you're near your limits on heat.
While the conditions would be less-than-ideal for a race, there's no reason not to run in weather like that, provided that you properly pace yourself and hydrate.
Honestly the politicians need to just be quiet... honestly this is not anyone's fault...this of course is just more political cannon fodder for bloated politicians and lawyers to try and sue someone.. $20 says lawyers are already trying or have gotten names to try and convince families they can cash in on this thing... what a crock!
90 is too hot for a half marathon unless you're used to running that distance in the heat. Â But the issue is now that it's trendy for people to run half marathons, you have people that are not conditioned enough to hack it in moderately hot weather. I see this all the time in fitness forums, etc. People like this, who lose 40lbs, and then sign up for a half marathon. They've been saying that this is why there are more deaths at running events now, in general, because it's become a huge marketing/cultural thing. Â It's multi billion dollar industry marketing around those races, and people get into them that are not conditioned. Â Very much like schools having kids studying for standardized tests, but not getting the actual knowledge they need to graduate and be successful. Â
I just re-read the article. The runners aren't blaming the organizers for the death and injuries - the politicians are opening the door for that blame. Lawyers are often jokingly referred to as larval politicians - sounds like the politicians are just feeding their young.
I have a feeling that common sense will prevail and the families of the athletes will understand that their family member knew the risks, chose to compete and that the results are not the fault of the race organizers.
The runners knew there was a heat wave. It's as much their own fault as the organizer's. Know your limits and you'll be ok.
@SouthofSeattle You're blaming the organizers too?
@Rockberry @SouthofSeattle They have a limited amount of responsibility. If they knew the weather would be excessively hot, they should have cancelled or delayed the event. I blame the runners more, but if there is an event, there are those who will come not matter what.
This reminds me of the female police officer that was trying to sue because of the "extreme mud race" locally. My same thoughts are that people who choose to do extreme sports know the risks, including those tangential to their actual sport i.e. weather. This is not to say I would wish harm on them, but all sports bring risks. They do it because they love it. And I would bet those in the coma, if they come out fine, will do it again.
@Thunder In defense of that local female officer and a few others in that mud race, the organizers did put down plastic sheets and kept them wet so the runners would slide down the hill. Which ended up fracturing an ankle or two. It really was a bonehead decision to use plastic sheeting in a mud race.
Why is everyone criticizing the runners? Â People fall out at these races all the time. Â You're talking 1 dead and 4 seriously sick out of probably thousands. Â It's the ministry of health who is doing the criticizing of the organization, not the runners. Â My friend was doing Chicago a few years ago and it got cancelled midway through because of the heat index, and she had already run 16 miles and wanted to keep going because she was fine. Â There's a good chance that the person who died and the ones who got sick trained somewhere else and went there for the race. Â Maybe a death doesn't happen at each race, but lots of people do get sick, no matter what the weather.
@Doxie I ran the Chicago marathon the year it was cancelled.  I had been living in Austin, so I was use to the heat, but it was extra hot that day. Â
I started walking around mile 16, and I remember seeing people collapsing on the course and I watched as they performed CPR on a runner who I believe is the one who passed away. Â
I had been looking forward to the race for a long time, and had trained hard, but realized it would be better to drop out of the race and live to see another day. Â
@Doxie addictions arent always bad ones... just so you think about it.
@Doxie yep, scares me right back to my easy dos it and if it takes 5 days to mow the lawn so be it..
@maggie112 @Doxie Totally understand, but medical stuff does happen.  I had a friend who ran marathons all the time and she had a heart attack and died during one.  Her autopsy showed heart damage from a previous heart attack - but if she was still here, she would tell you she feels great!  Unfortunately, these things happen.
These people had the choice to run or not. They even had the choice to quit any time they wanted. Just easier to put the blame on someone else for their choices.Â
@Jatok  so says the couch potato eating from a bag of pork rinds...
Even the couch potato has the choice to eat or not to eat the pork rinds. Are you speaking from personal exerience by chance?
ironically they would still be alive if they, instead, went to the nearest pizza parlor and ate the greasiest thing on the menu.
It isn't always easy to see what's going on especially if you're in the middle of a race. Fortunately I don't tolerate heat well so I *will* slow down and dump water over myself, etc. I was at a race on the east coast though where it was hot and humid, people were still passing out well after the race was over. I understand that the runners are responsible for ensuring they know their limits, etc., but event organizers also have problems when it's so hot in that they might not have adequate supplies at water stops. I know it's a source of frustration to communities (impending road closures), organizers and athletes but sometimes it's better to reschedule.
Listen to your body.Â
You can't fix stupid.Â
I don't know, in a coma and dead can be pretty good teachers . .         .
I'm in agreement with the other posters - you know your limits better than anyone else. If it's that hot out, what are you proving, and to whom are you proving it to? I'm sorry someone actually died because of this, but he made that poor choice - no one forced him to run. Just senseless.
Why is it always someone else's fault?
STOP RUNNING, doofus. Are humans really THAT stupid?
The runners were not forced to run. They could have just walked or not participated. It's their faults, not the race organizer's faults. Adults make their own decisions and are personally responsible for the consequences.
Why can't adults take responsibility for their own actions instead of having to blame everyone else????
@Marine Mom where exactly in that article did you see the victims blaming the race organizers?
@Marine Mom But he is not a victim.  He's doing damage control.
@tufa23Â "Yitzhak Aharonovich, Israel's public security minister, said on Israel Radio that the incident was "very serious" and suggested that race organizers could be held responsible for not cancelling the race after heat was predicted."