In the middle of Kelly Drive, a Philadelphia Marathon volunteer in an electric blue shirt stands with both arms stretched wide, shouting, for caffeine. The second half of the marathon is a loop in which runners pass her outbound and inbound.
It isn’t known precisely why two runners died on this course in 2011, one in the full marathon and one in the half-marathon. The marathoner fell right before reaching the finish line. The half-marathoner collapsed after passing beyond the line.
Most studies about why these deaths occur have focused on the heart, and how it changes during strenuous activity. But the packets handed out by that race volunteer could be another factor as to why these deaths are so similar, and why heart attacks claim runners who’d had no prior cardiac problem and who’d previously completed multiple marathons without incident.
If taken in moderate doses, it typically isn’t dangerous. The FDA labels caffeine as generally recognized as safe for adults who don’t consume more than 400 mg a day.
Studies have shown that caffeine can also do a body good. It can increase brain function, lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and reduce the risk or onset of cancer and Parkinson’s disease. It’s also an antioxidant.
Research has also shown that taking in some caffeine before or during exercise can improve finish times in races. A lot of runners use caffeine before and during races and handle it fine.
And because it’s preventable and avoidable, each of these deaths could be seen as one too many. Starting three years ago, runners were advised to ingest no more than 200 mg of caffeine before and during a race.
There was no single incident that led the group to this conclusion, but it stemmed from a constant conversation on how to be safer. Despite this advice, and the regular reporting on race deaths, caffeine remains a safe energy boost in the eyes of many runners.