Autopsies planned for 3 who died in Detroit marathon

DETROIT (AP) - Family and friends of three half-marathoners who collapsed during the Detroit marathon and died said the runners had trained for the race and they were unsure what could have caused the deaths.

The Wayne County medical examiner's office said autopsies are scheduled for Monday.

Daniel Langdon, 36, of Laingsburg, collapsed at about 9:02 a.m. Sunday between the 11- and 12-mile markers, said Rich Harshbarger, vice president of consumer marketing for the Detroit Media Partnership.

Rick Brown, 65, of Marietta, Ohio, collapsed at 9:17 a.m., near where Langdon went down, and 26-year-old Jon Fenlon of Waterford collapsed at about 9:18 a.m., just after finishing the 13.1-mile half-marathon in 1:53:37, Harshbarger said.

Brown started running about 30 years ago, said Joe Corra, a longtime friend. He had asbestosis, a lung disease, but had been cleared to train and had previously participated in regional marathons.

"His conditions didn't really seem to affect his running," Corra told The Detroit News. "He was prepared."

Harshbarger told the Free Press that there were at least six medical stations on the race course and that emergency personnel were on the scene within seconds.

Every runner must sign a medical release form, and they are encouraged to talk to their doctors before they run the race, Harshbarger said.

"On a day when so many people bring such energy and challenge themselves to do their utmost, this news is very difficult to hear," Free Press editor and publisher Paul Anger said. "Our deepest sympathies are with the families."

Laura Fenlon said her son had always been an athlete and she did not know of any medical problems he may have had. He played soccer and worked out, and was doing his first half-marathon.

Richard Poling, Langdon's stepfather-inlaw, told said Langdon, a father of three, was an avid outdoorsman and hunter.

"As far as we knew, he was in excellent health," he said.

The temperature was about 28 degrees when the marathon started and had risen to 41 degrees by 10 a.m. Running coach Keith Hanson said he doubted the weather had anything to do with the deaths.

"The wind never kicked up," Hanson said. "In my mind, the conditions were perfect."

Deaths at marathons are relatively rare. The last death at the Detroit event was in 1994 when a 42-year-old man died of a heart attack after running more than 20 miles.

More than 19,000 people were registered to participate in the 32nd Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon on Sunday.

Nicholas Stanko, of Haslett, Mich., took first place in the marathon with a time of 2:20:24 and Sarah Plaxton, of Highland, Mich., was the top female finisher in the marathon with a time of 2:57:09.