September 23, 2022 Another participation record was set on Sunday, September 18th at Highlands, NJ. Last year there were 179 finishers, this year 299! The weather this past Sunday at the race was great for spectators but made for slower times than were anticipated. As one of my colleagues who has experienced running conditions in the South mentioned, this kind of weather is deceptive. People think, well it is only in the mid 70’s and it’s not that humid, also low to mid 70’s and then, with the strong breeze, it does not feel that hot. But those are the conditions where hydration is very important and the risk of heat-related problems is real.
One of the top M50-54 runners actually collapsed due to heat problems and had to be taken to a local hospital for observation. Two Women in their 50’s suffered from dehydration. Both had to jog it in; one of those two was alas taken to a nearby hospital for observation. Many runners mentioned to me that after the first 5 miles, they basically cut their pace way back. There were, no doubt, others who suffered from dehydration and had to jog it in.
But you know Masters runners, challenging weather may slow them down, but they still compete.
