Runner dies during men's marathon trials

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NEW YORK, Nov 4 (AP): Elite distance runner Ryan Shay, who collapsed and died Saturday during the US men's marathon Olympic trials, had been diagnosed with an enlarged heart but cleared by doctors, his father said.
"The thing that made him such a great runner may have killed him," Joe Shay told The Associated Press.
An enlarged heart like Ryan's translated into extra endurance - crucial for a distance runner.
Ryan and other top athletes underwent medical testing in Flagstaff, Ariz., where he trained, last spring, Joe Shay said, and he was cleared for running.
"He said the doctors told him that because your heart rate is so low, when you're older you may need a pacemaker to make adjustments on that," said Joe Shay, adding his son first was diagnosed with a larger than normal heart at age 14.
Scientists long have noticed the phenomenon of the "athlete's heart." Athletes who train hard in aerobic sports, such as cycling, running or swimming, tend to have a bigger heart that pumps more blood throughout the body.
The 28-year-old Ryan Shay collapsed about 5 1/2 miles into the race.
"I got a call that Ryan had fallen down ... then I got another call that his heart had stopped," Joe Shay said.
The medical examiner's office said an autopsy will be performed Sunday.
What was supposed to be a glorious weekend for the sport became instead a wake. That somber mood is sure to carry over to Sunday's New York City Marathon, in which 38,000 runners will compete.
"It's a big loss for the running community," said 2004 Olympic women's marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor, who used to train with Shay in California. "It's a day we should be celebrating. It has cast a pall."
Shay and Ryan Hall and their wives had hoped to celebrate together after the trials. Now Hall is dedicating his race at the Olympics to Shay.
Minutes after Hall crossed the finish line first in record time, his arms raised in triumph, he heard the unthinkable news.