Jim Fixx

James Fuller Fixx ( born April 23, 1932 in New York; † 20 July 1984 Hardwick ) the author of a 1977 popular high-volume book and best seller was The Complete Book of Running, which was released in many countries. It made him through his popularization of the running movement and its health effects as one of the pioneers of the worldwide fitness revolution in the seventies. His early death after a running exercise caused a sensation and sparked multiple debate.

Life, work and death

As the son of an editor of TIME graduated from Oberlin College in Oberlin Fixx ( Ohio) and then worked as a journalist.

With 35 years Fixx began in 1967 with a running workout. At this time he had massive amounts of weight (110 kg) and smoked two packs of cigarettes per day. Ten years later, he weighed 30 pounds less, marathons had denied and was Non smoking. At this time his publication The Complete Book of Running was published ( The Complete Book of Running ), which stood for 11 weeks at the top of the bestseller list and had a circulation of millions. The book was inspired readers around the world. In his books and on television, he propagated from his personal experience the health benefits of running training, in particular with regard to the increase in average life expectancy. The latter prediction did not apply to him tragically.

Fixx suffered in 1984 52 -year-old on the way home from the daily running workout a Sekundentod.

Cause of death

Although opponents of Fixx his views expressed in the publications now doubted clear medical cause of death could be detected.

The autopsy of Jim Fixx revealed a severe arteriosclerosis of all three coronary arteries ( 95, 85 and 70 % closed ). The sports medicine specialist Kenneth Cooper listed the risk factors that could have contributed to the death of Fixx. Thus, there was a genetic flaw (his father died of a heart attack at the age of 43 years, Fixx himself had a congenitally enlarged heart ), he was up to the beginning of his running career at age 36, a heavy smoker and significantly overweight. He had a stress stressed profession and a second divorce behind him.

Writings (selection )

• The complete book of running. Random House, New York 1997, ISBN 0-394-41159-5 (EA New York 1977). The Complete Book of Running. Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, Frankfurt / Main 1994, ISBN 3-596-23326-7 (EA Frankfurt / M. 1979).