Twin Cities Marathon / 10 Mile CANCELED?

medician wrote:

runnER/DR wrote:

In a sane world they would let people decide for themselves if they wanted to take the risk.

Unfortunately we don't live in that world. Allowing people to run in this weather is a legal nightmare.

Worth noting (as I think a few other posts have suggested) that for large marathons (which I think TCM qualifies as) the main risk they're trying to mitigate is a mass casualty event that disrupts emergency medical services *for the community at large*, not just for runners. If all the ambulances are carting away heat stroke victims, then people die.

There have been numerous studies on this: non-runners who have, say, a heart attack on the day of a major marathon take longer to receive care and are more likely to ultimately die. And this is under normal weather conditions. (Part of the problem is road closures, even when medical teams aren't overwhelmed.) When there's a mass casualty event, the situation--for runners, but also for the community at large--gets significantly worse. So it doesn't really matter if all the runners are willing to accept the risk. The problem is the risk being imposed on others, and that's where the major pressure on race directors comes from.

Also worth noting that the TCM medical director is Bill Roberts, who is one of the major figures in marathon medical care. He's one of the guys who helps write the international guidelines, so a decision like this was not taken lightly or without adequate information.

medician wrote:

runnER/DR wrote:

In a sane world they would let people decide for themselves if they wanted to take the risk.

Unfortunately we don't live in that world. Allowing people to run in this weather is a legal nightmare.

Worth noting (as I think a few other posts have suggested) that for large marathons (which I think TCM qualifies as) the main risk they're trying to mitigate is a mass casualty event that disrupts emergency medical services *for the community at large*, not just for runners. If all the ambulances are carting away heat stroke victims, then people die.

There have been numerous studies on this: non-runners who have, say, a heart attack on the day of a major marathon take longer to receive care and are more likely to ultimately die. And this is under normal weather conditions. (Part of the problem is road closures, even when medical teams aren't overwhelmed.) When there's a mass casualty event, the situation--for runners, but also for the community at large--gets significantly worse. So it doesn't really matter if all the runners are willing to accept the risk. The problem is the risk being imposed on others, and that's where the major pressure on race directors comes from.

Also worth noting that the TCM medical director is Bill Roberts, who is one of the major figures in marathon medical care. He's one of the guys who helps write the international guidelines, so a decision like this was not taken lightly or without adequate information.

Pharmacist wrote:

medician wrote:

Worth noting (as I think a few other posts have suggested) that for large marathons (which I think TCM qualifies as) the main risk they're trying to mitigate is a mass casualty event that disrupts emergency medical services *for the community at large*, not just for runners. If all the ambulances are carting away heat stroke victims, then people die.

There have been numerous studies on this: non-runners who have, say, a heart attack on the day of a major marathon take longer to receive care and are more likely to ultimately die. And this is under normal weather conditions. (Part of the problem is road closures, even when medical teams aren't overwhelmed.) When there's a mass casualty event, the situation--for runners, but also for the community at large--gets significantly worse. So it doesn't really matter if all the runners are willing to accept the risk. The problem is the risk being imposed on others, and that's where the major pressure on race directors comes from.

Also worth noting that the TCM medical director is Bill Roberts, who is one of the major figures in marathon medical care. He's one of the guys who helps write the international guidelines, so a decision like this was not taken lightly or without adequate information.

Ok but they shouldn’t have waited until the very last minute to cancel

RRRR wrote:

When I was competing, I would run 120 mpw in the Texas summer heat during my buildup. I would meet up with my team at 7am and knock out 18-22 mile runs that started out 80 degrees all the time.

Yet...I completely agree with this decision to cancel.

6 years I ago my now wife was racing in a marathon in conditions very similar to the ones forecast to today. She is very good about taking her water and nutrition breaks, and that day was no different. The race started in the high 60's and felt quite cool to us at the start. She felt great and was stopping regularly at water stops. However once the sun came out, everything went south and before she knew it, she was feeling dehydrated and lightheaded.

The last thing she remembers from the race is seeing the finish line in front of her and then everything went black and she woke up in the hospital. She was experiencing rhabdomyolysis, and her temperature had gone up to 107.5. She was touch and go on her way to the hospital (EMS called her father to tell him she might not make it), and we spent the next 3 days in the hospital before she was discharged.

A single person's life is much more important and valuable than a wasted plane ticket, or the inconvenience of spending money on a hotel while taking time off from work. If the medical team Twin Cities was working with decided conditions were dangerous, then the race organizers made the right call. They most likely saved lives today.

asd_2985 wrote:

I can't believe this.

From the race officials:

Hello Sunday Marathon Weekend Participants,
As you prepare to pick up your race packets at the Health & fitness Expo today and tomorrow and then make final preparations for your run on the weekend, Twin Cities In Motion wants to reiterate that all races this weekend are expected to run under EAS RED Flag conditions (Extreme Caution: Potentially Dangerous Conditions.) due to extreme heat and humidity.
It Will Be Up to the Weather: Twin Cities In Motion will only start Sunday’s races if our medical team and community safety partners are confident we can run the races in their entirety under RED Flag or better conditions. EAS Flag conditions are based on very clear Wet Bulb Globe Temperature thresholds that must be followed in concert with the ability to support a safe event. While the likelihood of a cancellation appears low, if cancelling the race is required based upon our best practices and safety protocols in light of weather conditions, it is a decision we will make at any time conditions dictate.
Please expect a dedicated email update about weather conditions and the safety status of the event by 8:30 p.m. Saturday evening, September 30.

Forecast says low of 68 and a high of 85. Race threatens to cancel the event by 830PM the night before the race.

Am I insane? Doesn't this seem awfully odd?

asd_2985 wrote:

I can't believe this.

From the race officials:

Hello Sunday Marathon Weekend Participants,
As you prepare to pick up your race packets at the Health & fitness Expo today and tomorrow and then make final preparations for your run on the weekend, Twin Cities In Motion wants to reiterate that all races this weekend are expected to run under EAS RED Flag conditions (Extreme Caution: Potentially Dangerous Conditions.) due to extreme heat and humidity.
It Will Be Up to the Weather: Twin Cities In Motion will only start Sunday’s races if our medical team and community safety partners are confident we can run the races in their entirety under RED Flag or better conditions. EAS Flag conditions are based on very clear Wet Bulb Globe Temperature thresholds that must be followed in concert with the ability to support a safe event. While the likelihood of a cancellation appears low, if cancelling the race is required based upon our best practices and safety protocols in light of weather conditions, it is a decision we will make at any time conditions dictate.
Please expect a dedicated email update about weather conditions and the safety status of the event by 8:30 p.m. Saturday evening, September 30.

Forecast says low of 68 and a high of 85. Race threatens to cancel the event by 830PM the night before the race.

Am I insane? Doesn't this seem awfully odd?