So far this year, eight people have died during the swimming leg of triathlons. Two of those deaths, 60-year-old Donald Morehouse and 52-year-old John Hobgood Jr., occurred last weekend. The New York Times reports on the questions, if not answers, that trail those deaths. Why, for example, have all of those deaths occurred during the first part of the race? As the Times notes, deaths during marathons
tend to be more evenly distributed over the course of the 26.2 miles,
with the largest grouping occurring in the last mile. And what is it about the swim portion of the race that takes the lives of the athletes? One theory holds that swimming may trigger a certain type of cardiac arrhythmia caused by
a genetic condition called long QT syndrome, in whic the heart recharges itself
sluggishly between beats, and that delay sets up the potential for a
skipped beat, which can degenerate into a potentially fatal
arrhythmia. Others suggest that the anxiety of swimming in open water–much different from swimming in a pool, where most triathletes train–can place more stress on the heart. What do you think? Click on the comment link below, and let other readers know.
Read more in the New York Times.
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I have another question: Is it a statistically significant amount of fatalities of MEN in the swim portion of triathlons? If yes, then the heart theory seems more likely than the “high anxiety” one. I watched John Hobgood’s swim wave take off and the many subsequent waves. He must have gone under very quickly as there were thousands of eyes on the water and the swimmers. I started my wave about 30 minutes later and, as always at the swim start, I’m struck at how anxious many people are of the open water. Many people hyperventilate at first and at minimum, experience some shallow and rapid breathing as they begin. Some have a very hard time relaxing into a regular (and productive!) breathing pattern.
It’s very sad that a fellow triathlete lost his life there. I thought the race organizers did a good thing by putting the male “first-timers” in a separate wave (as well as the female “first-timers”, who went in the subsequent wave). The only thing of which I am certain is that he must have gone under very quickly and suddenly. Rest in peace John Hobgood.
Older folks should get a checkup before participating.
Scary. Someone I know is trying to get me to train for a triathlon.
Could it have something to do with energy shots taken before the start? I know when I used them, my heart rate would elevate. Combine that with a fast start to keep from getting swam over…
those swimmers who only have a chance to swim in a pool in preparation for a TRI. are in for a big surprise when they get in the water surrounded by many other people. I have been able to do open water swimming and its way way diferent. The big problem is swimming straight. Just about everyone has a dominant side and the only way I know to correct that is to train once a week in open water. I have seen people swim in circles or go off to the right or left. Most of the time they don’t even realize wwhat is happening.
I participated in the ’08 NJ Triathlon – 3 waves behind Mr. Hobgood. I was in the Female 1st timer group. There were several women in my wave struggling during the swim. Some called for help, some were approached by the lifeguards that could see they were troubled. In my training I was able to do a few open water swims and that made all the difference for me. It is remarkably different then swimming in the pool. The anxiety, the disorientation, the panic all just from being in the open, dark water. It takes a lot of getting used to. Hopefully, these tragedies will help focus triathlon participants (especially 1st timers) on the importance of open water practice.
Maybe there are serial killer triathletes that are drowning other participants?
Kristy makes some very valid points.