What to Know About Rhabdomyolysis, the Condition Linked to a Marathon Runner's Death
In this rare condition, when muscle cells break down, they can overwhelm the kidneys.
On November 1st, 2026, Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old woman from Pennsylvania, collapsed during the New York City Marathon and later died despite receiving medical treatment. Her father stated that the cause of death was rhabdomyolysis, a condition where damaged muscle tissue releases substances into the bloodstream, which can harm kidneys and occasionally the heart.
The city's medical examiner is still investigating the cause. Dr. Douglas Farrell, a nephrologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, explains that rhabdomyolysis occurs when muscle cells break down and die, releasing their contents into the body, which can be harmful to the kidneys. Causes include injuries, drug side effects, dehydration, and extreme exercise leading to exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis.
Farrell's hospital near the marathon's finish line has seen many cases, with a worrying increase in 2022. Factors that increase the risk include high temperatures, sudden changes in temperature, and sudden increases in exercise intensity or volume. Most people who run marathons, regardless of temperature, do not develop this condition.
Treatment focuses on fluids and monitoring kidney function and electrolytes. Serious complications are rare, with no deaths reported in the 2022 marathon cases examined by Farrell and Dr. Marie Vangstad of Oslo University Hospital in Norway.
Written by urgent.news from Time's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
