Why Swimming Is the Deadliest Part of a Triathlon
My MO for getting through the swim portion of a triathlon — never my strong point — is to simply shut my brain down from its near-panic mode by counting my strokes and evening out my breaths. But on the morning of the NYC Tri a few weeks ago, the Hudson River was unusually choppy, and the greenish gray waves made it hard for me to get into a regular rhythm. I’d only gone a few minutes when, just ahead of me, I heard cries for “Lifeguard!”
The NYC Tri is one of the largest in the country, and it all starts with a mile-long swim down the Hudson. It helps give the race — which has grown from 623 participants in the inaugural 2001 event to just shy of 4,000 this year — an edge, and its participants some bragging rights (even the most jaded Manhattanites raise their eyebrows at the thought of swimming through the murky waterway). There’s such a strong phobia about jumping into a river better known for hosting ferry boat and garbage barges than recreational swims that a few years ago race organizers added a team of psychologists at the start to coach anxious participants through their fears. The swim portion of the race is also perhaps the best supported of any in the country, with close to 100 personnel patrolling the water for potential problems.
All of which is to say that when I heard cries for help while I made my own way through the swift current, I sympathized, paused for a moment to catch my bearings, and noticed that a lifeguard was steadily making his way over toward the seawall to offer aid. And I moved on.
It’s not until hours after the race was over that I learned two individuals, 64-year-old Michael Kudryk and 40-year-old Amy Martich, both had what appear to be heart attacks in the water. Kudryk went unconscious during the swim and never recovered; Martich died the next day in a nearby hospital. Both were swiftly pulled from the river and given emergency medical care, but tragically they were the second and third deaths in the 11-year history of the race. (A 32-year-old Argentinian died in the swim in 2008 from a condition linked to high blood pressure.)
It’s led some officials to question the safety of triathlons in general, particularly the swim portion, where a storm of conditions and factors (cool water, tight wetsuits, large crowds, a surge of adrenaline, intense exercise) seem to trigger a potentially deadly heart condition that might otherwise go unnoticed. One recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 13 of the 14 deaths that occurred in triathlons between 2006 and 2008 took place during the swim. And a study conducted by the American College of Cardiology discovered the risk of sudden death in a tri is about twice that of a marathon (1.5 deaths per 100,000 participants for tris versus .8 deaths per 100,000 in marathons).
“The fact is it’s impossible to know for sure who will be at the greatest risk ahead of time,” notes Kevin Harris, M.D., a cardiologist with the Minneapolis Heart Institute and author of both studies. “In our research, seven of the nine athletes we saw autopsies on had underlying heart disease. But we don’t know whether it was a heart condition brought on by the swim or whether it was the swim itself that caused the problem.”
Some officials are calling for better screening methods for race participants. “The American Heart Association has a 12-element cardiovascular screening process that most high school and college athletes need to complete before competing in their sport,” says Dr. Harris. “Those same principles could easily apply for voluntary sports participants like triathletes.”
That makes sense for anyone with a family history of sudden death or any signs of underlying heart disease or conditions. But NYC Tri race owner John Korff says instituting a medical screening isn’t likely to happen in big races like his. “Even if we asked for a doctor’s note from everyone, how would we know it was a real medical doctor? And not everyone is going to have insurance coverage to pay for an expensive heart screening test.” More likely, says Korff, is that there will be continued support before the race, including advice to participants who are fearful of open water swims and recommendations for places to train, groups to join, and other races to practice their skills.
But at the end of the day, anyone participating in a tri needs to be accountable for themselves when it comes to training and preparation. “People do have to assume a certain degree of responsibility and know what they are getting themselves into when they sign up for a race,” adds Korff. “We can put up all the safety precautions in the world but ultimately you’re the one out there at the start.”
What do you think - do you worry about a heart attack or serious injury when you sign up to compete in an event? If so, what do you do to prepare?
—Alyssa Shaffer, Women’s Health Reporter
Photo credit:Will Schneekloth/Korff Enterprises (C) Ben Solomon Photography
