Sunday, June 5, 2011
13.1 . . . A Tough and Sad Day
I've hesitated to write about the 13.1 Half Marathon on Saturday. I wasn't there and have not had contact with any race officials. What I do know is what I've heard. The race was stopped around the two-hour mark, maybe before, because of the oppressive heat. From what I have been told a 22-year-old runner died and 10 other people were taken to the hospital. It seems to me they made the correct call by halting it. You can find results by clicking on the Chicago Athlete results at the right.
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Saturday was one of the worst racing weather days I can remember. When I left the house for the Cosley Zoo 5k/10k at 5:30am the temps were near 80 and the relative humidity was 85%. At the race, I started to fade at mile 3 (of 6.2)and was wondering why I wasn't being passed by anyone. Well, I guess everyone else was fading at the same time as well. I ran under every neighborhod sprinkler and took fluids at each station. At the finish, it looked like they were getting low on Gatorade. I heard from someone at the finish line of the 5k that a runner fell a few yards from the finish line and then proceeded to crawl to the finish before collapsing. An ambulance had to make it's way through the 10k runners to get there. Luckily our race was about 50% in the shade. As for the death of the runner at the 13.1 Half Marathon that is obviously quite a tragedy. I ran the 13.1 Half Marathon a few years back, and there wasn't much shade on that course. The sun comes up unprotected right over the lake. I will think twice about running the North Shore Half this weekend if the weather is the same as Saturday. Maybe I'll try a run/walk combo or just take it slower. However, if there is any kind of intense heat/humidity, the officials at that one may black flag it much earlier due to the events at the 13.1.
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