Yesterday NYC hosted the USA Men's Olympic Marathon Trials. The top three men would be going to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 so all the top USA men's distance runners were there. I followed the race online during the morning as the men made their way through 5 laps of Central Park and its challenging hills. Ryan Hall (center), just 25 years old, made his impressive break at mile 17 pulling away from the lead pack to ultimately finish 1st with a time of 2:09:02 which set a new American record for an Olympic trial. He is joined by Dathen Ritzenhein (right) and Brian Sell (left) taking 2nd and 3rd places, respectively. An amazing performance by all the runners and its exciting to see USA with strong runners and a good chance at an Olympic medal.
Unfortunately, in the midst of the celebration another runner, Ryan Shay just 28 years old and pictured left, collapsed at mile 5.5 and was pronounced dead soon after at an area hospital. Paramedics and other runners tried to help and administer CPR at the scene. Its a scary and sobering thought whenever any fellow runner dies, but for it to happen to such an elite athlete is unimaginable. Reports say that he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart, but cleared by doctors to run this spring. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife of only 4 months, Alicia who is also a runner, and his family as they deal with this loss.
Unfortunately, in the midst of the celebration another runner, Ryan Shay just 28 years old and pictured left, collapsed at mile 5.5 and was pronounced dead soon after at an area hospital. Paramedics and other runners tried to help and administer CPR at the scene. Its a scary and sobering thought whenever any fellow runner dies, but for it to happen to such an elite athlete is unimaginable. Reports say that he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart, but cleared by doctors to run this spring. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife of only 4 months, Alicia who is also a runner, and his family as they deal with this loss. 
1 comment:
Hey Sarah,
It's Beth from TEAM BMC (currently now residing in NYC). I've been reading your blog for some time now and really enjoy it! Congrats on Hartford!!!
My husband, sister and myself actually got to go watch the US Men's Olympic Trials and they were amazing! It was really fun to watch these runners especially when you can appreciate the work they've put into it. You should definitely check out the women when they run in Boston in 2008.
I saw your inspirational quote from the other post - and wanted to share this one that my sister found after everything that happened at the trials...:
"Humans weren't meant to run 26.2 miles at a crack in the same way humans weren't meant to explore the heavens.
We know mankind should get out of the space-exploration business because astronauts have died in the line of duty.
Humans weren't supposed to navigate oceans, either, because if they were, we wouldn't still be pulling up wooden ships from the sea. And humans obviously shouldn't be attempting to climb Mt. Everest because people die trying every year.
Maybe we shouldn't strive or dream or set goals at all. But we do. We do because that's how we're wired.
Something inside us tells us to go for more. To strain and struggle and bleed for something great. To build ever taller buildings. To push the envelope. To take it to the limit and beyond."
Keep up the great writing and running!
Beth
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