Below is a sortable list of individuals who died as a result of running a marathon.
The most frequent causes are:
The age distribution ranges widely, from the teens through the sixties.
In 2016, a systematic medical review found that the risk of sudden cardiac death during or immediately after a marathon was between 0.6 and 1.9 deaths per 100,000 participants, varying across the specific studies and the methods used, and not controlling for age or gender. This translates to a few published marathon deaths worldwide in a typical year, although the authors lamented the lack of a central registry for the information. [1]
The second major risk arises from imbalanced fluid or electrolyte levels, particularly hyponatremia (sodium deficiency, overhydration, or water intoxication). As a marathon medical director described the counter-intuitive and under-publicized risk in 2005: "There are no reported cases of dehydration causing death in the history of world running, but there are plenty of cases of people dying of hyponatremia." [2]
Heat stroke is an emergency condition in which thermoregulation fails and the body temperature rises above 104 °F (40 °C). It becomes a greater risk in warm and humid weather. [3]
Origin | Name [ref.] | Age | Marathon date | Event | Location | Cause / Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Francisco Lázaro [4] | 24 | 15 July 1912 | Olympic Marathon | Stockholm, Sweden | Electrolyte imbalance |
![]() |
Jakob Jutz [5] | 35-36 | 26 August 1951 | Swiss Athletics Federation Marathon Championships | Cham, Switzerland | Heart failure |
![]() |
Jacques Bussereau [6] | 48 | 28 October 1984 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Duncan Kerr [7] | 28 | 22 September 1985 | Glasgow Marathon | Glasgow, UK | Pneumonia |
![]() |
Martin A. Wurst, Jr. [8] | 32 | 2 November 1986 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Coronary artery disease |
![]() |
Edwin Brown [9] | 47 | 14 December 1986 | Dallas Marathon | Dallas, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Thomas Becker [10] | 40 | 8 October 1989 | Twin Cities Marathon | Minneapolis, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
William McKinney [11] | 59 | 4 March 1990 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Lisa B. Christensen [12] | 19 | 4 November 1990 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Coronary artery abnormality |
![]() |
Julius Becza [13] | 58 | 24 October 1993 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Samuel Grafton [14] | 42 | 16 October 1994 | Detroit Marathon | Detroit, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Pierre Marguet [15] | 27 | 6 November 1994 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack; also for an unnamed second fatality |
![]() |
Humphrey Siesage [16] | 61 | 15 April 1996 | Boston Marathon | Boston, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Anna Loyley [17] [18] | 26 | 8 March 1998 | Bath Half Marathon | London, UK | Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome |
![]() |
Kelly Barrett [19] | 43 | 11 October 1998 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Hyponatremia |
![]() |
Don Scott [20] | 48 | 26 September 1999 | Robin Hood Marathon | Nottingham, UK | Heart attack |
![]() |
Danny Towns [19] | 45 | 22 October 2000 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Luke Roach [19] | 22 | 7 October 2001 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Heat stroke |
![]() |
Laura M. Clancy [21] | 29 | 20 October 2001 | Baltimore Marathon | Baltimore, US | Brain aneurysm |
![]() |
Cynthia Lucero [22] | 28 | 15 April 2002 | Boston Marathon | Boston, US | Hyponatremia |
![]() |
Hilary Bellamy [22] | 35 | 27 October 2002 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Hyponatremia |
![]() |
Craig Johanson [20] | 28 | 14 September 2003 | Robin Hood Marathon | Nottingham, UK | Cardiac arrhythmia |
![]() |
Rachael Townsend [23] | 29 | 12 October 2003 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Mitral valve prolapse |
![]() |
James Leone [11] | 60 | 19 March 2006 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Raul Reyna [11] | 53 | 19 March 2006 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
William Goggins [24] | 43 | 30 July 2006 | San Francisco Marathon | San Francisco, US | Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy |
![]() |
George Spears, Sr. [25] | 49 | 1 October 2006 | Twin Cities Marathon | Minneapolis, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Earl Seyford [26] | 56 | 29 October 2006 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Marc Witkes [27] | 40 | 10 December 2006 | Tucson Marathon | Tucson, US | Congenital heart abnormalities |
![]() |
David Rogers [28] | 22 | 22 April 2007 | London Marathon | London, UK | Hyponatremia |
![]() |
Chad Schieber [29] | 35 | 7 October 2007 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Mitral valve prolapse |
![]() |
Ryan Shay [30] | 28 | 3 November 2007 | USA Marathon Championships | New York City, US | Cardiac arrhythmia |
![]() |
Adam Nickel [31] | 27 | 2 March 2008 | Little Rock Marathon | Little Rock, US | Coronary artery abnormality; electrolyte imbalance |
![]() |
Carlos Jose Gomes [32] | 58 | 2 November 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Joseph Marotta [32] | 66 | 2 November 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Fred Costa [32] | 41 | 2 November 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Erin Lahr [33] | 29 | 14 December 2008 | Dallas Marathon | Dallas, US | Cardiac arrhythmia |
![]() |
Colin Dunne [34] | 27 | 1 March 2009 | Barcelona Marathon | Barcelona, Spain | Heart attack |
![]() |
Peter Curtin [35] | 23 | 10 October 2009 | Baltimore Marathon | Baltimore, US | Undetermined, possible heat stroke; body temperature 107 °F (42 °C) |
![]() |
William Caviness | 35 | 9 October 2011 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Ulysses Thomas [36] | 58 | 5 November 2011 | Savannah Marathon | Savannah, US | |
![]() |
Claire Squires [37] | 30 | 22 April 2012 | London Marathon | London, UK | Heart attack, DMAA supplement |
![]() |
Xavier Jiménez [38] | 45 | 17 March 2013 | Barcelona Marathon | Barcelona, Spain | Heart attack |
![]() |
Sam Harper Brighouse [39] | 23 | 14 April 2013 | Brighton Marathon | Brighton, UK | Ischemic colitis |
![]() |
R. Jacob Zeman [40] | 35 | 9 November 2013 | Rock 'n' Roll Marathon | Savannah, US | "Unsuspected heart condition" |
![]() |
Robert Berry [41] | 42 | 13 April 2014 | London Marathon | London, UK | Heat stroke |
![]() |
Manases Alfon Jr. [42] | 38 | 7 February 2016 | Condura Skyway Marathon | Philippines | |
![]() |
Arnold Lubang [43] | 40 | 7 February 2016 | Condura Skyway Marathon | Philippines | Cardiac arrest |
![]() |
Mike Freeman [44] | 55 | 28 February 2016 | Vodafone Malta Marathon | Sliema, Malta | "Natural causes" |
![]() |
David Seath [45] | 31 | 24 April 2016 | London Marathon | London, UK | Heart attack |
![]() |
Rob Bremer [46] | 50 | 26 November 2017 | Curacao KLM Marathon | Curacao | Cardiac arrest |
![]() |
Matt Campbell [47] | 29 | 22 April 2018 | London Marathon | London, UK | Cardiac arrest |
![]() |
Juan Camilo Arboleda Alzate [48] | 38 | 16 September 2018 | Medellín Marathon | Medellín, Colombia | Heart attack |
![]() |
Claudio Agurto Spencer [49] | 51 | 7 April 2019 | Santiago Marathon | Santiago, Chile | Aortic dissection |
![]() |
Taylor Ceepo [50] | 22 | 19 May 2019 | Cleveland Marathon | Cleveland, US | Cardiac |
![]() |
Steve Trickett [51] | 35 | 26 May 2019 | Ottawa Marathon | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Heart Attack |
![]() |
Harry Vroulis [52] | 74 | 19 January 2020 | Houston Marathon | Houston, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Gregory McSween | 41 | 9 November 2021 | Marine Corps Marathon | ||
![]() |
Bruno Meunier [53] | 41 | 5 June 2022 | Marathon de la Liberté | Caen, France | Heart attack |
![]() |
unnamed [54] | 69 | 3 March 2024 | Tokyo Marathon | Sumida, Tokyo | |
![]() |
Joey Fecci [55] | 26 | 27 April 2024 | Nashville Marathon | Nashville, US | "Natural causes" |
![]() |
Marco Gomes [56] | 42 | 28 April 2024 | Maratona da Europa | Aveiro, PT |
Country | Event | Deaths | Date |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Weliveriya bombing | 15 | 5 April 2008 |
![]() |
Boston Marathon bombing | 3 | 15 April 2013 |
![]() |
Gansu ultramarathon disaster | 21 | 22 May 2021 |
Below is a sortable list of individuals who died as a result of running a marathon.
The most frequent causes are:
The age distribution ranges widely, from the teens through the sixties.
In 2016, a systematic medical review found that the risk of sudden cardiac death during or immediately after a marathon was between 0.6 and 1.9 deaths per 100,000 participants, varying across the specific studies and the methods used, and not controlling for age or gender. This translates to a few published marathon deaths worldwide in a typical year, although the authors lamented the lack of a central registry for the information. [1]
The second major risk arises from imbalanced fluid or electrolyte levels, particularly hyponatremia (sodium deficiency, overhydration, or water intoxication). As a marathon medical director described the counter-intuitive and under-publicized risk in 2005: "There are no reported cases of dehydration causing death in the history of world running, but there are plenty of cases of people dying of hyponatremia." [2]
Heat stroke is an emergency condition in which thermoregulation fails and the body temperature rises above 104 °F (40 °C). It becomes a greater risk in warm and humid weather. [3]
Origin | Name [ref.] | Age | Marathon date | Event | Location | Cause / Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Francisco Lázaro [4] | 24 | 15 July 1912 | Olympic Marathon | Stockholm, Sweden | Electrolyte imbalance |
![]() |
Jakob Jutz [5] | 35-36 | 26 August 1951 | Swiss Athletics Federation Marathon Championships | Cham, Switzerland | Heart failure |
![]() |
Jacques Bussereau [6] | 48 | 28 October 1984 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Duncan Kerr [7] | 28 | 22 September 1985 | Glasgow Marathon | Glasgow, UK | Pneumonia |
![]() |
Martin A. Wurst, Jr. [8] | 32 | 2 November 1986 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Coronary artery disease |
![]() |
Edwin Brown [9] | 47 | 14 December 1986 | Dallas Marathon | Dallas, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Thomas Becker [10] | 40 | 8 October 1989 | Twin Cities Marathon | Minneapolis, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
William McKinney [11] | 59 | 4 March 1990 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Lisa B. Christensen [12] | 19 | 4 November 1990 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Coronary artery abnormality |
![]() |
Julius Becza [13] | 58 | 24 October 1993 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Samuel Grafton [14] | 42 | 16 October 1994 | Detroit Marathon | Detroit, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Pierre Marguet [15] | 27 | 6 November 1994 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack; also for an unnamed second fatality |
![]() |
Humphrey Siesage [16] | 61 | 15 April 1996 | Boston Marathon | Boston, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Anna Loyley [17] [18] | 26 | 8 March 1998 | Bath Half Marathon | London, UK | Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome |
![]() |
Kelly Barrett [19] | 43 | 11 October 1998 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Hyponatremia |
![]() |
Don Scott [20] | 48 | 26 September 1999 | Robin Hood Marathon | Nottingham, UK | Heart attack |
![]() |
Danny Towns [19] | 45 | 22 October 2000 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Luke Roach [19] | 22 | 7 October 2001 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Heat stroke |
![]() |
Laura M. Clancy [21] | 29 | 20 October 2001 | Baltimore Marathon | Baltimore, US | Brain aneurysm |
![]() |
Cynthia Lucero [22] | 28 | 15 April 2002 | Boston Marathon | Boston, US | Hyponatremia |
![]() |
Hilary Bellamy [22] | 35 | 27 October 2002 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Hyponatremia |
![]() |
Craig Johanson [20] | 28 | 14 September 2003 | Robin Hood Marathon | Nottingham, UK | Cardiac arrhythmia |
![]() |
Rachael Townsend [23] | 29 | 12 October 2003 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Mitral valve prolapse |
![]() |
James Leone [11] | 60 | 19 March 2006 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Raul Reyna [11] | 53 | 19 March 2006 | Los Angeles Marathon | Los Angeles, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
William Goggins [24] | 43 | 30 July 2006 | San Francisco Marathon | San Francisco, US | Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy |
![]() |
George Spears, Sr. [25] | 49 | 1 October 2006 | Twin Cities Marathon | Minneapolis, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Earl Seyford [26] | 56 | 29 October 2006 | Marine Corps Marathon | Washington, D.C., US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Marc Witkes [27] | 40 | 10 December 2006 | Tucson Marathon | Tucson, US | Congenital heart abnormalities |
![]() |
David Rogers [28] | 22 | 22 April 2007 | London Marathon | London, UK | Hyponatremia |
![]() |
Chad Schieber [29] | 35 | 7 October 2007 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Mitral valve prolapse |
![]() |
Ryan Shay [30] | 28 | 3 November 2007 | USA Marathon Championships | New York City, US | Cardiac arrhythmia |
![]() |
Adam Nickel [31] | 27 | 2 March 2008 | Little Rock Marathon | Little Rock, US | Coronary artery abnormality; electrolyte imbalance |
![]() |
Carlos Jose Gomes [32] | 58 | 2 November 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Joseph Marotta [32] | 66 | 2 November 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Fred Costa [32] | 41 | 2 November 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Erin Lahr [33] | 29 | 14 December 2008 | Dallas Marathon | Dallas, US | Cardiac arrhythmia |
![]() |
Colin Dunne [34] | 27 | 1 March 2009 | Barcelona Marathon | Barcelona, Spain | Heart attack |
![]() |
Peter Curtin [35] | 23 | 10 October 2009 | Baltimore Marathon | Baltimore, US | Undetermined, possible heat stroke; body temperature 107 °F (42 °C) |
![]() |
William Caviness | 35 | 9 October 2011 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Ulysses Thomas [36] | 58 | 5 November 2011 | Savannah Marathon | Savannah, US | |
![]() |
Claire Squires [37] | 30 | 22 April 2012 | London Marathon | London, UK | Heart attack, DMAA supplement |
![]() |
Xavier Jiménez [38] | 45 | 17 March 2013 | Barcelona Marathon | Barcelona, Spain | Heart attack |
![]() |
Sam Harper Brighouse [39] | 23 | 14 April 2013 | Brighton Marathon | Brighton, UK | Ischemic colitis |
![]() |
R. Jacob Zeman [40] | 35 | 9 November 2013 | Rock 'n' Roll Marathon | Savannah, US | "Unsuspected heart condition" |
![]() |
Robert Berry [41] | 42 | 13 April 2014 | London Marathon | London, UK | Heat stroke |
![]() |
Manases Alfon Jr. [42] | 38 | 7 February 2016 | Condura Skyway Marathon | Philippines | |
![]() |
Arnold Lubang [43] | 40 | 7 February 2016 | Condura Skyway Marathon | Philippines | Cardiac arrest |
![]() |
Mike Freeman [44] | 55 | 28 February 2016 | Vodafone Malta Marathon | Sliema, Malta | "Natural causes" |
![]() |
David Seath [45] | 31 | 24 April 2016 | London Marathon | London, UK | Heart attack |
![]() |
Rob Bremer [46] | 50 | 26 November 2017 | Curacao KLM Marathon | Curacao | Cardiac arrest |
![]() |
Matt Campbell [47] | 29 | 22 April 2018 | London Marathon | London, UK | Cardiac arrest |
![]() |
Juan Camilo Arboleda Alzate [48] | 38 | 16 September 2018 | Medellín Marathon | Medellín, Colombia | Heart attack |
![]() |
Claudio Agurto Spencer [49] | 51 | 7 April 2019 | Santiago Marathon | Santiago, Chile | Aortic dissection |
![]() |
Taylor Ceepo [50] | 22 | 19 May 2019 | Cleveland Marathon | Cleveland, US | Cardiac |
![]() |
Steve Trickett [51] | 35 | 26 May 2019 | Ottawa Marathon | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Heart Attack |
![]() |
Harry Vroulis [52] | 74 | 19 January 2020 | Houston Marathon | Houston, US | Heart attack |
![]() |
Gregory McSween | 41 | 9 November 2021 | Marine Corps Marathon | ||
![]() |
Bruno Meunier [53] | 41 | 5 June 2022 | Marathon de la Liberté | Caen, France | Heart attack |
![]() |
unnamed [54] | 69 | 3 March 2024 | Tokyo Marathon | Sumida, Tokyo | |
![]() |
Joey Fecci [55] | 26 | 27 April 2024 | Nashville Marathon | Nashville, US | "Natural causes" |
![]() |
Marco Gomes [56] | 42 | 28 April 2024 | Maratona da Europa | Aveiro, PT |
Country | Event | Deaths | Date |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Weliveriya bombing | 15 | 5 April 2008 |
![]() |
Boston Marathon bombing | 3 | 15 April 2013 |
![]() |
Gansu ultramarathon disaster | 21 | 22 May 2021 |