Runner dies in 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

INDIANAPOLIS -- A runner in Saturday's 500 Festival Mini-Marathon collapsed during the race and died.\nJohn Washal, 32, of Fishers, was taken to Methodist Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:59 a.m., said John Linehan, spokesman for the Marion County coroner's office.\nWashal had a slight history of heart problems that had not been bad enough to stop him from running in similar races in the past, Linehan said. An autopsy to find the exact cause of death will be conducted Sunday, he said.\nEmergency crews were able to revive two others who went into cardiac arrest, officials from the mini-marathon said in a news release. A medical team saw the runner who died collapse and immediately administered aid, but could not prevent the first death in the race's 28-year history, marathon officials said.\nOfficials said the warm, muggy weather with temperatures in the 70s under sunny skies may have contributed to the heart attacks.\nThe race was won by Kenya's Reuben Chebii, followed by fellow Kenyan Ronald Mogaka and Cincinnati's Dennis Henry placed third.\nChebii, 21, finished the 13.1-mile race in 1:04:56, about 3 minutes off from the record time of 1:1:54 seconds, set by Gabriel Muchiri.\nThe winner in the women's category was Albina Ivanova, 26, of Russia, who won for the second straight year. She finished the race in 1:12:36, more than a minute off the record she set in 2003 at 1:11:24.\nThe No. 2 woman was Olga Kovpotina, 34, of Ukraine, followed by Emily Samoei, 23, of Kenya in third.\nDonnie Fellows, 25, of Indianapolis, finished No. 5.\nChebii said afterward the heat prevented him from keeping a record pace.\nChebii's victory was No. 11 in 12 years by a Kenyan runner in the mini-marathon.