Prayers to his family. Happened right underneath us, under the Grogan's Mill bridge. So close to getting out the water. I am sure his family is beside themselves. I feel so bad for them. Experienced Ironman, doing what he loved.

7th IM. So strange.

so sad

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Yellowfin Endurance Coaching and Bike Fits
USAT Level 1, USAC Level 3

Absolutely. So sad.

Terrible. Can't imagine how his loved ones are feeling.

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

RIP

Sad news, RIP.

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Train safe & smart
Bob

Exactly. I hope we hear the autopsy results. Unusual for an experienced competitor, especially with adrenaline surge approaching swim exit. So tragic for his family.

Prayers to his family. Very sad

Hats off to the spectators who noticed something was wrong and pulled him out. Recovery in under a minute is better than you could hope for most situations. Incredibly sad result though. RIP.

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MS: Exercise Science
Your speed matters a lot, sometimes you need to be very fast, where sometimes you need to breakdown your speed.

My thoughts are with his family and everyone directly affected.

I hope that the investigation gives his family and the organisers clarity.

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'It never gets easier, you just get crazier.'

My wife and I met him an hour before the race, he recently moved to The Woodlands and was hosting a Pro for the week. It was his 7th Ironman I believe. I recognized him on the shore because he was wearing a familiar charity kit. I was shocked to see him breathless on the shore and they tried to resuscitate him for 20 minutes before sticking him in an ambulance. He did wear a wetsuit in a non-wetsuit swim, but who knows if that contributed to his death. It was an awful sight to see.

Although not surprised, I was disappointed that Mike Reilly, or someone from Ironman, did not mention him at the awards banquet or have a moment of silence. Especially given the fact that they used words like "Ironman Family" during the Welcome banquet.

I agree. There should have been mention at the banquet.

I attended the Volunteer/ Awards banquet on Sunday and thought a " Moment of Silence" for this fellow athlete was surely going to be mentioned right right after the Anthem but never occurred. I did leave before the Awards ceremony was over so was hoping he was going to be mentioned at some point during the banquet.

I cannot believe that this was basically swept under the rug by Ironman. Personally, it doesn't make me want to enter another IM event if that is how this is dealt with by upper management of Ironman. Again, Prayers go out to his Family in their time of grief.

I attended the awards banquet and had the same thought...a moment of respect for a fellow competitor should have been included. But before I would skewer Mike Reilly personally, I would have to know whether Ironman has an express stipulation in his contract that serious injuries and fatalities at their races cannot be mentioned under any circumstances. I don't know the details of his employment but based on this quote, it is apparent he is under contract.

The gregarious San Diegan recently signed on for another five years as the "Official Voice of IRONMAN Worldwide."

Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/...s.aspx#ixzz4fC8jRBar

Very sad... I would venture to guess that MOST deaths in triathlon (non-trauma) have very little to do with experience and everything to do with age and a predisposition to fatal cardiac arrhythmias and ischemic heart disease more than anything else.

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Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022

[/quote]
But before I would skewer Mike Reilly personally, I would have to know whether Ironman has an express stipulation in his contract that serious injuries and fatalities at their races cannot be mentioned under any circumstances. I[/quote]




I bet this has something to do with it.....

Stats would suggest a cardiac issue, but not necessarily age related. As noted in this report, the only pattern attributable to triathlon deaths is that they mostly occur in the water.

https://www.usatoday.com/...n-officials/2164793/

At least I hope it is not age related since I aged up into M60 this year and just read "The Haywire Heart". I hope the family will consent to releasing the autopsy report and perhaps find some peace that he was doing what he loved.

RIP

Yes - "The Haywire Heart" is a good read and some key takeaways for hard charging 40+ athletes.

... R.I.P.... just sad... experienced IM person too.

Yes - "The Haywire Heart" is a good read and some key takeaways for hard charging 40+ athletes.

Just plugging back in after a week away from everything.

Terrible news about this. This is something you NEVER hope/think will happen.

I know none of the details with regards to this incident.

The unfortunate reality is that, in some ways we are into completely uncharted waters with 40+ year old athletes pushing themselves in training and racing at elite and sub-elite levels of effort. THIS is the first generation, that has ever had this many 40+ year old - runners, cyclists and triathletes, all doing this! We are all in this group (myself included at 56), lab-rats and guinea-pigs pushing the envelope!

Agreed that Leonard Zinn's new book "Haywire Heart", (on my to-read list), is most likely a great read - Zinn knows from his own personal experience and from that of other top-level Master's athletes within his circle* A shorter read is the article Zinn wrote for Velonews, that inspired him to write the book:

http://www.velonews.com/...and-endurance-sports

Sobering stuff!

* Within my circle of friends and contacts in the endurance sports community I've known 5 - 6 people who have died in the last 15 years under similar situations - all experienced veteran athletes - literally just dropping dead from heart issues.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Most interesting piece to me is that he was near the end. I was thinking most of the swim issues happened near the beginning.

Tragic either way.

I'm with ya! I age to up to 50-54 in a couple years, and actually think I am mostly done with triathlon. Have never really "enjoyed" the swim part and am a runner/cyclist so trending towards just that. The endurance thing is such an addiction (hence my foray in to the Leadville 100 this year), but will never do another IM. Might pick up a copy of that book today!

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Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022

I'm not interested in my death nor am I celebrating this one. Sorry for the grief his family must be experiencing. Having said that, when I go, I wouldn't mind going out doing sport. And in a race. Seems like an appropriate bookend to the lifestyle I've chosen.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/