BEIJING, Oct 18 (AFP) - Two amateur runners collapsed and died in the Beijing International Marathon at the weekend Chinese state media reported Monday amid criticism of the race’s organisation.
The two fatalities in Sunday’s event included Liu Hongbin, a 20-year-old college student, and a Beijing resident identified by his surname Hu, the Xinhua news agency said.
Both collapsed midway in the run and were hospitalized where they died despite intensive efforts to save their lives, according to the report.
The Beijing Youth Daily newspaper quoted an unnamed participant in the marathon as saying that in the afternoon no drinks were provided beyond the 22-kilometer (14-mile) mark.
An event organizer told the paper that all drinks stations had indeed been suspended five hours into the event, but that vehicles had been available to pick up runners who did not feel well.
The Beijing marathon attracted 25,016 participants, the largest number in the event’s 24-year history, according to the China Daily.
Unfortunately there was also a death at Toronto marathon over the weekend.
Would you by any chance have a link you can provide?
Interesting, yet unfortunate. Thanks for the link.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1512408.cms
This is scary. Thoughts members? Is this just another case of exploitation?
Why would anybody be surprised given the event’s history.
In 490BC, Phidippides ran the distance to announce: “Rejoice! We conquer!”
And then dropped dead.
He did run in in armor though, if i am not mistaken. If only modern marathoner had to run in bronze armor. 
Pheidippides took the “long” route and run 246 km, from Athens to Sparta to ask for help against the Persians in the battle of Marathon. The myth he run from Marathon to Athens was created later on by writers (e.g., Plutarch).
Also, to date there is no clear evidence that he collapsed afterwards. In fact, one of the greatest ultra-marathon runners, Yannis Kouros -who easily holds the record of the distance with 20:25, that’s 20 hours 25 min- did not participate this year, because he wants the route to also include the return back to Athens, since “Pheideppides returned”! Unfortunately, this can probably be done by only 2-3 people in the world, including Kouros, something the organisers are probably not interested in doing…
The original route then is known as the “Spartathlon”, a race organised officially for the first time in 1983 and which actually started yesterday for this year (Friday 29th) and is taking place at this very moment. And good luck to them!