Death from exercising in Toronto Oct 1

heathersmilez

Never has the message “slow and steady wins the race” been more applicable and more ignored.

I attended the JDRF Ride for a Cure in Toronto on October 1st (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Basically, its a couple hundred stationary bikes set up together, each team consists of 5 people who share one bike so in the one hour you are there, you each do 7 minutes of fast biking while your team cheers you on, fans you down and chants. There are about 8 of these sessions a day, they group different categories of businesses together i.e. finance, insurance, hospitality etc. so that there is extra motivation to get the best time – I was in the insurance hour at 1:00.

Yes, we all had to sign a waiver BUT they never had any cautionary warnings such as please consult your physician prior to signing up or please note competition is fierce and you may be pushed beyond your capabilities, know your limits. For this event as well, unlike marathons which attract runners and athletes, people of all shapes and sizes were present so an extra warning really should have been expressed.

So we get started, we successfully get through 2 riders (who ironically spoke of dying while we video-interviewed them during their ride) and while these 2 are biking the rest of us witness how crazy competitive this environment really gets. People are in costumes (so there is a heat stoke hazard waiting to happen), music is blaring, the MC is loud and proud and teams are chanting, screaming and using noisemakers. Suddenly, after the 2nd person is done the music stops and we all get evacuated - medical emergency is all they said. Some people witnessed vomit so most of us we’re pretty upset at this point that we were getting kicked out before getting a chance to ride because someone couldn’t hold their lunch. There was a really large minimum donation to participate and considering the event was only 7 minutes long this evacuation drove the ignorant crowd (ignorant of the severity of what was really happening) pretty nuts.

So what happened? A 42 year old man had a heart attack on the bike and died right there. His father had died of a heart attack as well so perhaps in his case it was genetics that played a factor more so than his lifestyle and fitness level but as I said, there were people in attendance of ALL shapes and sizes, people who hadn’t ridden a bike in 10, 20 or even 30 years and numerous overweight individuals who we’re not aware of the intensity of the event.

My sincerest condolences to the family.

jessicajm

Oh my. That is very sad. It's also an eye opener though. Thoughts and prayers are with his family.

SP0472

I work for TD and we had several teams there and when I heard of this my first thought was..."how sad for the family" but then I thought "this thing is a heart attack waiting to happen - bike as fast as you can for 7 minutes without the need for prior conditioning" The people on our team weren't in stellar health and I was concerned about them.

Now they're looking for people to do the CN Tower climb. I know my limits and I don't pretend to be able to do these things...yet.

MrsUnderwood

Wow, that is sad and crazy.

*side note: I miss Toronto... I just moved back to SK last year after having lived in Toronto for two years...it's my favourite city in Canada!!!*

Kate_UK

Thats awful

Scorpiomom222

How sad. I personally think it's pretty ignorant to join an event unless you know that your body can take something like that by training, :grumble: etc. Although, my ex boyfriend's dad was in VERY good health, had high blood pressure, and while running, he had a small stroke at 45. You can be the picture of perfect health and still keel over or have a death scare.

Another side note: I can't wait until I can join in a half marathon.

Jocy50

Wow! That is really sad that this would happen at such an event. But I do believe that a lot of good meaning people go to these events not realizing that they are not in the best of shape or have a condition that should prevent them from doing this. I wish that everyone who wishes to join these types of events would go to their doctor first.

SP0472

How sad. I personally think it's pretty ignorant to join an event unless you know that your body can take something like that by training, :grumble: etc. Although, my ex boyfriend's dad was in VERY good health, had high blood pressure, and while running, he had a small stroke at 45. You can be the picture of perfect health and still keel over or have a death scare.

Another side note: I can't wait until I can join in a half marathon.

I heard people I work with who did this event say over and over again "it's only 7 minutes..." They don't realize that 7 minutes of really intense exercise is going to be hard on a body that's barely moved in 10+ years! They think they're joining a fun event.

TXBlockhead

Wow, that is really sad. It makes you really scared to participate in things like that. I always think about that when I watch the Biggest Loser because some of them go above and beyond what I would think their bodies can handle. You just never know.

Scorpiomom222

I'm by no means thin, but I'm getting better at fitness, etc and I know I can't do an intense exercise for 7 minutes straight yet. It's just poor judgement if someone that isn't in that great of health does that.

Scorpiomom222

Wow, that is really sad. It makes you really scared to participate in things like that. I always think about that when I watch the Biggest Loser because some of them go above and beyond what I would think their bodies can handle. You just never know.

There was one gal that developed an eating disorder from Biggest Loser. She tells her story. I'll try to find it.

SP0472

Wow, that is really sad. It makes you really scared to participate in things like that. I always think about that when I watch the Biggest Loser because some of them go above and beyond what I would think their bodies can handle. You just never know.

I actually read Jillian saying that she's just waiting for the day one of the contestants has a heart attack because they push them so hard. Having a 300+lbs person who's never exercise run on a treadmill is just dangerous. But I'm still guilty of watching the show.