The health and emotional benefits of swimming, cycling, and running continue to far outweigh the potential risk of sudden, unexpected death.
The news in the triathlon world this season has been peppered with stories of unexpected fatalities occurring at several races across the country. Understandably, coaches may be hearing questions from alarmed athletes concerned about whether or not they, too, are at risk of being a victim of such a tragedy.
It’s important for a coach to acknowledge athletes’ fears but also to place these fears in context. By staying attuned to an athlete’s overall health, a coach can often have a role in preventing any unfortunate outcomes during training or racing.
Sudden deaths during athletic events are shocking for many reasons. Victims are young, often in peak physical condition, and in many cases, their deaths are the first and only sign of any underlying illness. In reality, though, when researchers have looked closely at these cases, almost all had signs or symptoms of cardiac disease before the fateful day.
So rather than being a complete bolt from the blue, these athletes’ deaths were often presaged by less severe symptoms that happened in training but were not attributed to a potentially fatal underlying issue.
It has long been understood that when compared to sedentary individuals, those who participate in a regular exercise program, even one with as little as only a few hours of activity a week, have lower rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke (among many other benefits).
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