PowerBar founder (and former world-class marathon runner) Maxwell collapses, dies at 51

USA Today ^ | 3/20/04

[Libloather]

SAN ANSELMO, Calif. (AP)

[Uncle Hal]

James F. Fixx was born on April 23, 1932, he was the author of the 1977 best-selling book, The Complete Book of Running. Best known as Jim Fixx, he is credited with helping start America's fitness revolution, popularizing the sport of running and demonstrating the health benefits of regular jogging. In 1980 he published a follow up book titled Jim Fixx's Second Book of Running: The Companion Volume to The Complete Book of Running. In his books and on television talk shows he often talked abort how he jogged an average of 60 miles every week on the basis that the physical exercise considerably increased the average human being's life expectancy.
On July 20, 1984, while out jogging, 52-year-old Jim Fixx collapsed and died of a massive heart attack. The autopsy revealed that cholesterol had blocked one coronary artery almost 100%, a second 80%, and a third 70%.

[GraniteStateConservative]

There's a freeper with seven girls-- that's crazy, man.

[NittanyLion]

It seems that some world-class athletes have congenital heart defects...very sad. An unusual heart that allows them to perform at such a high level perhaps is also the cause of their death.

Me, I eat anything I want - fat, carbs, I love 'em all. And I haven't experienced any prob...ackkkk..argggh...*thump*.

[IndyTiger]

I think it was Neil Armstrong who said he 'would never waste a minute doing exercise.'

Yeah, that's right. I remember reading where Armstrong said that his heart has only so many beats in it, so why make it beat faster by exercising? LOL

[Musket]

IMHO people are just over doing it. Would primitive man run for 3 hours straight? Or a solid hour or more every day or every other day? I don't think so. I tried the running lifestyle when I was younger. It didn't take me long to get shin splints and sleepless nights because my heart wanted to jump out of my chest. I decided then that - regardless of what the so called "experts" were saying - this can't be any good for me. Oh I still exercise when I feel the need - usually to address a specific muscle problem with lifting and streching, but not to the ridiculous prolonged extremes that most modern exercisers do. Just my 2 cents.

[ovrtaxt]

Look up the condition that killed Blum, the reporter in Iraq, last year. It's a heart condition of some type.

Last month, a 19 year old girl in my church died from it. She was a star basketball player, extremely healthy, and going to college on a basketball scholarship. The coroner called her dad and was asking him for all kinds of info about her training habits and so on. They are looking for the cause- still a medical mystery.

[duckandcover]

Not to worry. Power Bar founder, like famous runner Jim Fixx, probably didn't believe in taking vitamins and minerals on a regular basis (there's a difference between "power" i.e. carbs and minerals - i.e. non-metallic plant based). According to Dr. Joel Wallach, athletes sweat out much more minerals (which the body needs to make 95% of its enzymatic reactoins) than they could possibly take in without supplementation. That's why so may athletes die each year of so-called "heart problems." Lack of magnesium causes the heart not to beat, resulting in death, among other things.

So get a copy of Dr. Wallach's "Dead Doctors Don't Lie" and find out what's going on.

Listen to the FDA and you'll end up DOA.

[Revolting cat!]

Keef will outlive us all, you'll see! (Or, rather, you won't see!)

[lt.america]

I have heard that running marathons isn't a great idea, especially after the age of thirty. Another thing, breathing in that cold Canadian air during training probably didn't help his cause in the long run either.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I believe in living as healthy a lifestyle as one possibly can, but our days are numbered, and no man controls the time of his death.

As my dear ol' dad says, "ya live til you die and not one minute more."

Sure you should eat "right" and exercise but too many people obsess over their health so enjoy your treats and quit worrying. The worry will kill you faster then anything else.

[Indrid Cold]

Heh--I was just about to post "Paging Dr. Wallach!"

There are a lot more examples out there than just this guy and Jim Fixx.

[freedumb2003]

The health food craze is crap!

Maxwell - dead

Atkins - dead

I will follow my own counsel -- regular brisk walking, moderation overall, limited but not constrained carbs -- my Dr. says I am healthier than 80% of Americans. (2 years after a heart attack)

[Consort]

"He's dead, Jim."

[Revolting cat!]

During saner times the headline would have read:

Snake Oil Salesman Dead!

But these are not saner times. These are Magic Pill times! Snake oil salesmen are revered gurus now. Why, a drug dealer peddling steroids, whose biggest accomplishment had been playing bass for a mediocre disco band, passes himself off as a "self-taught scientist" and nobody laughs!

[Socratic]

"His fate was sealed."

Is, "meeting one's maker" the same as, "return to sender?"

[chilepepper]

Powerbars == sugar and carbs...

[nutmeg]

Yikes... surprising and sad news about Brian Maxwell. Prayers for his family and friends...

My husband (FReeper "zelig") attended Cal-Berkeley at about the same time and knew Maxwell as a fellow student (but hasn't seen him since the mid-70s). While a student there, zelig had a part-time job at the Cal Athletic Center, and said he'd see Maxwell hanging around there all the time. He says Maxwell was a serious guy, extremely disciplined and 'had a tremendous work ethic'.

[Texas Eagle]

Is, "meeting one's maker" the same as, "return to sender?",/I>

Return to sender. Heh, heh. Good one.

[Socratic]

"Good one."

I think we both get the "stamp of approval" on this thread.

[AGreatPer]

"There's a freeper with seven girls-- that's crazy, man."

Hey, I know nothing.

Look, I'm older here, so I do remember when families would have large families. I had 5 undcles that all made it through WWII and 3 aunts. So, I know what the guy is talking about. It was not out of the questiion at that time.