The warming climate is forcing marathons to consider changes to keep runners cool

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Category: Sports

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. wilt / wɪlt / (v.) – to become weak, tired, or lose energy, especially because of hot weather
    Example:

    Every summer, the star runner wilts under the hot afternoon sun.


  2. exertion / ɪgˈzɜr ʃən / (n.) – the act of using a lot of physical or mental effort to do something
    Example:

    The doctor told her to avoid any hard physical exertion while recovering from surgery.


  3. marathoner / ˈmær əˌθɒn ər / (n.) – a person who runs in marathons, which are long-distance races that are over 26 miles long
    Example:

    The experienced marathoner trained every morning to prepare for the big race.


  4. opt / ɒpt / (v.) – to make a choice or decide to do one thing instead of another
    Example:

    After looking at the menu, we opted for the fresh seafood pasta.


  5. derision / dɪˈrɪʒ ən / (n.) – mean comments, jokes, or laughter that show someone thinks an idea or action is silly or foolish
    Example:

    The suggestion to cancel the event was met with loud derision from people who were excited to attend.


Article

Read the text below.

Paul Grinvalds has completed 114 marathons in all 50 states, but he still wilts when he races in temperatures beyond 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius).


It’s the same for most runners, as the body can’t cool down during exertion, and heat makes that even harder.


“One thing about marathoners is typically we’re kind of stubborn,” said Grinvalds, 68, from West Des Moines, Iowa, who finds even temperatures in the 50s degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) a bit warm. “So if we have a goal and it’s hot, a lot of times we’re still going to try to do that goal, which is just stupid because you’re almost guaranteed to have a very painful experience.”


Such an experience can also be dangerous, a reality that marathon organizers are having to confront as climate change, caused mostly by the burning of fuels like coal and gasoline, pushes temperatures up. To improve the chances of having the 26.2-mile (42-kilometer) race in cooler weather, organizers are shifting race dates, starting earlier, and even giving options for participants to cut their runs short.


Starting in 2027, the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis-St. Paul will shift its more than 40-year tradition of holding the race on the first Sunday in October to later in the month. That decision comes after the cancellation of the marathon in 2023 because of record heat and humidity, and starting temperatures near 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) for the 2025 race.


Organizers of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Marathon last year similarly moved their annual race from August to September after canceling the 2024 race due to hot conditions. And other races, including the Air Force Marathon in Dayton, Ohio, the Little Rock Marathon in Arkansas, and the Long Beach Marathon in Southern California, all moved their start times to earlier in the morning in search of cooler temperatures.


In Los Angeles in March, warm conditions prompted race organizers to give runners the option of stopping after 18 miles and still receiving a finisher’s medal. Less than 5% of participants opted for the shorter finish, and only 14 of roughly 27,000 runners were treated at a hospital, with all released the same day. Still, the move led to some online derision.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • In Los Angeles, race organizers offered runners a finisher’s medal even if they stopped at 18 miles due to extreme heat, but less than 5% chose to stop. Why do you think so many runners refused to stop early? If you trained for months for a race, under what conditions would you decide not to finish or not to participate at all? Discuss.
  • When hot weather ruins an outdoor sports event, do you think athletes should rely on organizers to keep them safe, or is it completely up to each participant to listen to their own body? Why? What can happen when participants focus too much on winning or finishing rather than on their health? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Think about a major event in your country (ex. music festival, the Olympics). How did a difficult situation, such as extreme weather or a health crisis, affect this event? What was the impact on businesses and industries that were hoping to benefit from this event? Discuss.
  • How well do you think event organizers in your country handled these situations? What specific actions from the event organizers do you think worked (ex. moving the date of the event)? Discuss.