Just two miles short of the finish line of the 2026 New York City Marathon on Nov. 1, 24-year-old runner Rachel Apa collapsed. She died of a rare and potentially life-threatening illness that can be brought on by excessive exertion, the New York Times reported. 

It's called rhabdomyolysis, and while there are relatively few cases nationwide each year, it can strike during endurance or intensive exercise, including marathons. 

What happened to Rachel Apa? 

Apa was running her first marathon to rais...