Marathon Swimmer Dies of ...

Fran Crippen, a marathon race swimmer (10K swimmer) from Philadelphia died earlier this week due to some undefined complications related to a swim he was participating in the United Arab Emirates.  This article, courtesy of CNN, cites several causes 1) severe fatigue 2) heart attack and 3) water and air temperature, oh and let's not forget 4) they took two hours to find his body (2-hours ??? on a pre-determined race course ???).  Anyhow, I can't but help to think that a primary cause had to have been the temperature.  Water temps over 80 degrees F. in any race, much less a race of endurance, is asking for trouble.  The water temp was cited at 87 F. and the air temp, 100 F.  The race organizers are lucky others did not fall out.  It is my opinion that to hold a race of endurance in such conditions is unconscionable.