NYC Marathon runner Rachel Apa dies after collapsing in Central Park two miles from finish line

Rachel Apa was 24, running her first marathon, and she collapsed in Central Park around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, about two miles from the finish. A spectator and others gave her CPR until race medical staff arrived with a defibrillator. She was taken to Mount Sinai, where doctors tried for hours to save her, and she died at 9:40 p.m. Her father, Steve Apa, told The New York Times that she died of rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which skeletal muscle breaks down rapidly. She was running with the Parkinson's Champions team in memory of her grandfather, who died of Parkinson's in 2022. New York Road Runners said it was the first race death since 2024.

Rhabdomyolysis can be triggered by extreme exertion, heat, dehydration, certain medications and other factors, and it is rare. Reports so far come from family and news accounts; no official cause of death or autopsy result has been published, so the details may change. If you run or train hard and notice severe muscle pain, weakness or dark urine, get medical care promptly, and talk to your doctor about your own situation.

My condolences to her family and to the runners who were there that day. Coverage of her death: WEAR-TV (TNND).

Also discussed here:
- Irish European champion runner Ciara Mageean dies aged 34
- Yakima County resident dies of bird flu complications after dairy e…
- 18-year-old woman dies after falling from an amusement ride at a fe…