Our area lost an avid runner today. Ellis Porch died today after collapsing during a Half-Marathon run on Sunday. Here’s what the Birmingham News had to say about Porch in an article yesterday. Note: this article preceded his death:
Gerald McGwin Jr. has run many races against his friend Ellis Porch III, and Porch has won most of them.
Today, McGwin is hoping Porch wins one more race.
The 30-year-old Porch, one of Birmingham's fastest distance runners, collapsed while running the Seaside Half Marathon near Destin, Fla., on Sunday. He was airlifted to UAB Hospital, where he was in critical condition, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Porch, of Meadow Brook, collapsed near the Mile 12 marker of 13.1-mile race. McGwin and other friends in the race administered CPR until paramedics arrived. Porch had no pulse and was not breathing, McGwin said.
"He has many more miles to run with us," McGwin said Monday. "He needs to come back from this and avenge the fact that I passed him in this race. That thought alone should be enough to get him through this."
Porch ran his third Boston Marathon a year ago and for the second time in a row he was the first Alabamian to complete the course. He did it in a personal-best time of two hours, 38 minutes and 11 seconds.
Following that race, McGwin called Porch "the big toe of our running group, the one we all aspire to be like."
"Ellis is a known entity in the running community," McGwin said Monday. "If he's not winning it, he's working pretty hard to come in second place."
McGwin and Porch had run the Seaside event several times and Porch won his age group there a year ago. The two had their sights on again making Boston their next race.
"We went to the Red Sox game every year the day before the marathon," McGwin said. "It was something we started a few years ago. He was looking forward to that."
I’m not sure if Porch had a history of heart disease in his family or not. It’s extremely scary to think that someone in such good of shape could still be subject to heart problems. Runner’s World did an article on this situation not too long ago. So, wake up call to everyone. Take the time to get checked out. Know your family history and take measures to lower your risk. I didn’t know Porch or his family, but my heart and my prayers go out to them.
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7 comments:
Its tough - someone so young and in amazing shape. It just reminds me to live my life to the fullest and be thankful for each and every day that I have.
Wow. That does make you stop and think. Good article, Matt.
that's indeed scary stuff... I have a couple of doctor frens who tell me that marathon runners and triathletes seem to have higher percentage of heart failure than the general populace... Probably a subject worthy of further research, but I pray that this is not true. :(
Good reminder to build a good base by keeping it long and slow.
Wow...that is scary stuff to think about. Thanks for the note on that, i hadn't heard.
A sad story that gives us pause and something to think about. Many of us think that as endurance athletes we must be bullet proof. Unfortunately not true.
Well said. We may be in great shape but we are in no way invincible.
Like Crash said- live life to the fullest- you never know!!
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