The expected heat wave this weekend will not spare the beaches and that could be a problem for the 22,000 people expected in Long Beach for the marathon this Sunday.
“It’s going to be hot, but the good news, the race starts early,” said Dan Cortez with the Long Beach Marathon.
Organizers have moved the start date from 6 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. for runners and bikers, 5:25 am for wheelchairs and 6:30 a.m. for half marathon participants.
“Our operations team has been in close communication with Long Beach fire and police to implement our heat plan,” said Cortez. “We’ve ordered extra ice, we are going to add additional tables and staffing to the water stations along the route.”
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Participants have taken the necessary steps to prepare to brave the heat.
“I’m trying to keep cautious about my electrolytes and making sure I have my nutrition bars and gels… because of the heat,” said Micayla Shook, who is running in the half marathon Sunday.
Organizers are concerned most for first-time runners who might struggle already to get through the 26.2-mile course, factor in the heat and it could get dangerous as new runners don’t hydrate enough during the race.
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“They forget to stop for water, they forget to stop for electrolytes,” said Shook. “I’ve been telling them any chance you get… you should be stopping more.”
One in six runners is running their first marathon on Sunday.
“Yes, it’s warm. Yes, it’s going to be hard, but I think we can deal with hard things,” said Summer Willis, a 28-time Long Beach marathoner.
She is running 52 marathons this year to raise awareness for survivors of sexual assault.
In September, she ran six marathons, a couple during the Texas heatwave.
“We really need to start hydrating before the race. It’s Sunday, you need to start drinking a lot of fluids today.”
Starting Saturday, the city will start street closures. Eastbound Shoreline Drive from Shoreline Village Drive to Ocean Boulevard will be shut down for the Aquarium of the Pacific 5K.
On Sunday, road closures and detours will be in place at various times on a rolling basis between 5 a.m. and 2 p.m.
A map of the race course can be found here.
