LR man dies in half-marathon

The annual Little Rock Marathon was marked by tragedy this weekend with its second death in the race’s 10 years of history after a 37-year-old man had to be transported to the hospital at mile 11 of 13.1, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (subscription required).

Michael Kelly, of Little Rock, told medical officials he “had trouble” in the last several miles of the half-marathon on Saturday. He was then transported UAMS Medical Center at about 11 a.m. where he was pronounced dead at 12:01 p.m.

The cause of death will be determined during at autopsy today by the Arkansas State Crime Lab.

Kelly’s death follows that of 27-year-old Adam Nickel, of Wisconsin, who died at the finish line after he completed the marathon in 2008, the D-G reported. Autopsy results later found that he died of multifocal small coronary artery fibromuscular dysplasia — a disease that limited the blood flow to his heart.

Each year race coordinators place flowers at the 26-mile marker to commemorate Nickel.