Ryan Shay (May 4, 1979 – November 3, 2007) was an American professional long-distance runner who won several USA championships titles.[2][3] He was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and attended the University of Notre Dame.[4] He was married to Alicia Craig, also an American distance runner.

Ryan Shay
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born(1979-05-04)May 4, 1979
Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA
DiedNovember 3, 2007(2007-11-03) (aged 28)
New York City, USA
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight155 lb (70 kg)
Sport
SportTrack, Long-distance running
Event(s)5000 meters, 10,000 meters, Marathon
College teamNotre Dame
Achievements and titles
Highest world rankingNo. 9
Personal best(s)5000m: 13:35.08[1]
10,000m: 28:03.44[1]
Marathon: 2:14:08[1]
Updated on 27-11-2008

Running career

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High school

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Ryan Shay attended Central Lake High School in Central Lake, Michigan, home of the Trojans, from 1993 to 1997. He won every cross country meet he competed following the third meet of his freshman year (1993), including four consecutive Class-D MHSAA Lower Peninsula (LP) state cross country meets from 1993 to 1996.[5][6] He was a three-time consecutive Class D MHSAA LP state champion in the 1600-meter and 3200-meter runs from his sophomore through senior track seasons (1995 through 1997), and also won the Class-D MHSAA LP state title in the 800-meter run as a sophomore. He was also his class valedictorian.[7]

Collegiate

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Shay continued running as a student-athlete at the University of Notre Dame in the fall of 1997, majoring in economics and competing in both cross country and track. He was a 9-time All-American while competing at Notre Dame. Shay was the first Notre Dame runner to win an NCAA individual title, winning the 10,000-meter run at the 2001 NCAA outdoor meet in a time of 29:05.44.[4] Shay graduated as the school record holder in both the indoor and outdoor 5,000-meter runs, as well as the 10,000-meter run. He graduated in the top of his class.

Post-collegiate/professional

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Following college, Shay ran professionally, winning races at various distances, including marathon, half-marathon, 20 km and 15 km.[4][8][9] Shay also competed during the 2005 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, finishing 15th in the men's individual race. Shay finished in 23rd place in the 2004 Men's Olympic Marathon Trials.[10]

USA Running Circuit

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Shay was a five-time road national champion in the 15 km, 20 km, marathon and twice in the half marathon. In 2003 after winning both the USA Half Marathon Championships and the USA Marathon Championships as well as placing third in the USA 25 km Championships and the USA 5 km Championships Shay was named the 2003 USA Running Circuit Champion. Shay repeated as the USA Running Circuit Champion in 2004 after winning both the USA Half Marathon Championships and the USA 20 km Championships as well as finishing second in the USA 25 km Championships and USA 5 km Championships and placing third at the USA 10 Mile Championships. In 2005 Shay came in second place in the USA Running Circuit Championships standings, third in 2006 and 10th in 2007.[11][12]

Death

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Memorial plate on a bench in Central Park

On November 3, 2007, during the US Olympic marathon trials in New York City, Shay collapsed approximately 5+12 miles (8.9 km) into the race at 8:06 a.m. He was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:46 a.m.[8][10][13] Doctors at the hospital who examined him reported that he died of heart failure due to cardiac arrhythmia, due to a pre-existing enlarged heart condition.[10] Autopsy results were initially inconclusive, leading to speculation over other possibilities for his death.[14] On March 18, 2008, Ellen Borakove, the Director of Public Affairs of the New York Chief Medical Examiner's Office released the following statement to Joe Shay, Ryan's father, regarding his final autopsy results: "Cardiac arrhythmia due to cardiac hypertrophy with patchy fibrosis of undetermined etiology. Natural causes."[15]

Achievements

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  • 2005 USATF 15 km Champion
  • 2004 USATF 20 km Champion
  • 2004 USATF Half-Marathon Champion
  • 2003 USATF Half-Marathon Champion
  • 2003 USATF Marathon Champion
  • 2001 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Champion (10000-meter run)
  • 2001 Big East Conference Outdoor Track & Field Champion (10000-meter run)
  • 2001 Big East Conference Indoor Track & Field Champion (5000-meter run)
  • 2000 Big East Conference Outdoor Track & Field Champion (5000-meter & 10000-meter runs)
  • 1999 Big East Conference Cross Country Champion
  • 1999 Big East Conference Indoor Track & Field Champion (3000-meter run)

Competition record

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International competitions

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2004 North American Men's Marathon Relay Championships Akron, United States 2nd Marathon relay 2:05:39

USA National Championships

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Road

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2003 USA Marathon Championships Birmingham, Alabama 1st marathon 2:14:29[16]
USA 15 km Championships Jacksonville, Florida 8th 15 km 45:22[17]
USA 8 km Championships New York City, New York 15th 8 km 23:13[18]
USA 25 km Championships Grand Rapids, Michigan 3rd 25 km 1:17:44[19]
USA Half Marathon Championships Kansas City, Missouri 1st half marathon 1:04:13[20]
USA 5 km Championships Providence, Rhode Island 3rd 5 km 14:06[21]
2004 US Olympic Trials Birmingham, Alabama 22nd marathon 2:19:20[22]
USA 10 mi. Championships Louisville, Kentucky 3rd 10 mi. 47:11[23]
USA 25 km Championships Grand Rapids, Michigan 2nd 25 km 1:17:12[24]
USA Half Marathon Championships Kansas City, Missouri 1st half marathon 1:05:04[25]
USA 20 km Championships New Haven, Connecticut 1st 20 km 59:53[26]
USA 5 km Championships Providence, Rhode Island 2nd 5 km 14:02[27]
2005 USA 15 km Championships Jacksonville, Florida 1st 15 km 43:52[28]
USA 8 km Championships New York City, New York 4th 8 km 23:05[29]
USA 20 km Championships New Haven, Connecticut 2nd 20 km 1:00:33[29]
USA 5 km Championships Providence, Rhode Island 3rd 5 km 13:59[30]
2006 USA 15 km Championships Jacksonville, Florida 6th 15 km 44:42[31]
USA 25 km Championships Grand Rapids, Michigan 13th 25 km 1:19:13[32]
USA 20 km Championships New Haven, Connecticut 8th 20 km 1:00:48[33]
USA 5 km Championships Providence, Rhode Island 3rd 5 km 13:58.2[34]
2007 USA Half Marathon Championships Houston, Texas 15th half marathon 1:04:23[35]
USA 15 km Championships Jacksonville, Florida 9th 15 km 45:13[36]
USA 25 km Championships Grand Rapids, Michigan 3rd 25 km 1:17:22[37]
USA 20 km Championships New Haven, Connecticut 5th 20 km 1:01:21[38]

Track and field

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2002 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Palo Alto, California 7th 10,000 m 28:40.66[39]
2007 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Indianapolis, Indiana 8th 10,000 m 28:54.34

Cross country

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2007 USA Cross Country Championships Boulder, Colorado 14th Senior race 38:46[40]

NCAA championships

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Track and field

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing Notre Dame
1999 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Boise, Idaho 7th 10,000 m 29:55.78[41]
2000 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Durham, North Carolina 7th 10,000 m 30:54.65[42]
2001 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Eugene, Oregon 6th 5000 m 13:52.45[43]
1st 10,000 m 29:05:44

Cross country

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Year Competition Venue Position Notes
Representing Notre Dame
1997 NCAA Cross Country Championships Greenville, South Carolina 68th 30:58[44]
1998 NCAA Cross Country Championships Lawrence, Kansas 229th 34:16[45]
1999 NCAA Cross Country Championships Bloomington, Indiana 12th 30:46.10[46]
2001 NCAA Cross Country Championships Greenville, South Carolina 6th 29:23[47]

References

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  1. ^ a b c IAAF. "Athlete profile for Ryan Shay".
  2. ^ "United States Championships (Men 1943-)". GBR Athletics. 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  3. ^ Lynn Zinser (November 4, 2007). "28-Year-Old Marathoner Dies in Olympic Trials". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c Philip Hersh (2007). "Runner dies during U.S. marathon trials". The Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 5, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  5. ^ University of Notre Dame Athletic Department (2001). "Player Bio: Ryan Shay:: Track". Notre Dame Athletic Website. Archived from the original on November 5, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  6. ^ Bill Khan (2006). "MHSAA: Records-Boys Cross Country Individual Champions". MHSAA Website. Archived from the original on November 1, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  7. ^ Bill Khan & Jim Moyess (2006). "MHSAA: Records-Boys Track and Field Individual Champions". MHSAA Website. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  8. ^ a b Dick Patrick (November 4, 2007). "Ryan Shay dies in U.S. Olympic marathon trials". USA Today. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  9. ^ "Runner dies in marathon trials". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. 2007. Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  10. ^ a b c Shipley, Amy (November 4, 2007). "Death Casts a Pall Over Trials". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
  11. ^ http://usarunningcircuit.runnerspace.com
  12. ^ "USATFRunningCircuit.com - USATF Running Circuit Official Site - News - USATF comment on the death of Ryan Shay - U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon - Official Site".
  13. ^ John Walters (2007). "Notre Dame coach mourns Irish great". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  14. ^ "Discussion of possible causes of death of Ryan Shay". Science of Sports. Retrieved November 5, 2007.
  15. ^ Ryan Shay Autopsy Results"Ryan Shay Autopsy Results".
  16. ^ "USATF - Events - 2003 USA Men's Marathon Championship". Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
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  24. ^ "USATF 25 km Championships, presented by Toyota - Official Website - News - Browne, Kilpatrick-Morris win USA titles at River Bank 25K - USA 25 km Championships - Official Website".
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  29. ^ a b "USATF - Events - 2005 USA 8 km Championships". Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
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  37. ^ "USATF 25 km Championships, presented by Toyota - Official Website - News - Sell, McGregor win USA 25 km titles - USA 25 km Championships - Official Website".
  38. ^ "USATF - Events - 2007 USA 20 km Championships". Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  39. ^ "T&FN - Past Results". www.trackandfieldnews.com. Archived from the original on 2012-08-22.
  40. ^ "USATF - Events - 2007 USA Cross Country Championships". Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  41. ^ "NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships- Wednesday Results". id.milesplit.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14.
  42. ^ "NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships- Thursday". nc.milesplit.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14.
  43. ^ "NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships- Friday Results". or.milesplit.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14.
  44. ^ "NCAA XC 1997 Men". www.trackandfieldnews.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-10.
  45. ^ "NCAA XC 1998 Men". www.trackandfieldnews.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-10.
  46. ^ "NCAA XC 1999 Men". www.trackandfieldnews.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-10.
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