Tragedy in New York City: Ryan Shay dies during Olympic Trials Marathon

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The weekend brought perfect weather to the men who qualified to run in the Olympic Trials Marathon in New York City’s Central Park on Saturday, November 3, 2007.

The race started out well enough, although the early pace wasn’t terribly fast.  The split at the first 5k mark was about 16:20, a time which works out to about 5:15 per mile.  But the pace would get faster as the race progressed, with eventual winner Ryan Hall crossing the line first in a Trials record 2:09.02.  He was followed 2 minutes later by Dathan Ritzenhein and Brian Sell.  American Record-holder Khalid Khannouchi becomes the first alternate with his 4th place finish.  

In a shocking surprise, 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist Meb Keflezighi was 8th with a 2:15.22.

But the biggest shock to most observers and Trials runners was the sudden death of Notre Dame graduate Ryan Shay at the 5 – 1/2 mile mark of the race near the Central Park Boathouse.  Shay was 28.

A multi-time All American at Notre Dame for track and cross-country, Shay was the winner of the 2001 NCAA 10,000 meters.  Only this summer did he marry former Stanford All-American Alicia Craig.  Among Alicia Craig’s teammates at Stanford were Ryan Hall and his wife Sara Bey.  Sara Bey Hall was a bridesmaid to Alicia Craig Shay.

Ritzenhein and Sell also have ties to Ryan Shay.  As with Shay, a 4-time high school cross-country state champion, both are from Michigan.  Shay was born in Ypsilanti, Ritzenhein in Rockford and Sells still lives in Rochester Hills.

Shay crossed the 5k mark in 16:53.  Not particularly fast for a young runner who won the American Marathon Championship in 2003 and represented the US at the World Championships that year.  Hampered by an uncooperative hamstring the following year, Shay struggled to finish 23rd at the last Olympic Trials Race.

But this year, he was primed and ready.  He and Hall ran 4 miles together the day before.  Hall stated that Shay was as fit as he’d ever known him to be.  So did one of Shay’s other friends, 2003 teammate Clint Verran.  “When he first came out of college, he was a real aggressive runner.  He was a guy who went for it.  It wasn’t part of his nature to lay back.”

That was a comment echo’ed by Shay’s father, Joe.  “What made him such a great runner probably killed him.”

That Ryan Shay had a heart problem was known to his family and his doctors.  At age 14, he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart.  A few years later, doctors told the family that Shay would likely need a pacemaker when he got older.  His resting pulse was a paltry 25 beats per minute.

Yesterday, his heart stopped beating.  He passed away while doing exactly what he wanted to be doing:  running fast.

Said Verran, ” This is so tragic.”

Brian Sell was of like mind.  Crying on the podium, Sell stated, “I’d trade my Olympic spot in a split second to have him back.”

Meanwhile, Alicia Shay will have to deal with a very heavy heart while trying to achieve her own goal of getting on the US Olympic team in the 10,000 meters.  She’ll have plenty of world-class running friends pulling for her and even more everyday runners cheering her on next spring.

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Filed under 2008 Beijing Games, Alicia Craig, Alicia Shay, Brian Sell, Clint Verran, NCAA, New York City Marathon, Notre Dame, Olympic Trials Marathon, Olympics, Ryan Hall, Ryan Shay, Sara Bey, Sara Hall, Stanford, running, sports

Tags: 2008 Beijing Games, marathon, New York City, Olympic Games, Olympic Marathon Trials, running, Ryan Shay, sports, sudden death