Weather always plays a role on race day. But as climate change leads to excessive heat, more severe wildfire seasons, and massive storms, more race days are being interrupted by extreme conditions. Last weekend, participants of the 23rd annual Woody’s RV World Marathon in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, experienced the effects of a destructive fire season first-hand.
Alberta has experienced a particularly brutal fire season with upwards of 273 wildfires this year alone, reports CNN. Environment Canada recommended that residents of this region refrain from participating in vigorous exercise outdoors. So, on Sunday, race organizers made the call to shorten the marathon distance due to poor air quality. The 5K and 10K races remained the same distance.
“We made the decision to cancel the marathon and move everyone to the half marathon. Anybody else who wanted to reduce the distance on the events they’re doing they could do that too. The response has been positive,” said event organizer Curtis Marquart. While 1,100 runners signed up, many opted out of lining up a the starting line. Everyone who signed up received a medal and a shirt. However, no refunds were offered because the race relied on volunteers and, like all races, was expensive to organize.
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The Woody’s RV World Marathon is a Boston-qualifying race. However, decreasing the mileage this year meant that no one walked away with a BQ. “I only did the half marathon so in a way maybe it felt easier because I only did half the distance I was planning,” said Heather MacPhail, who ran the race, told the Red Deer Advocate. “I tried not to think about it too much. Honestly, in the trails, there’s so much tree coverage I felt like it was a little bit less noticeable than when you were out in the open.”
Running in wildfire smoke can have detrimental effects long-term. Health concerns arise when you ingest fine particulate matter with “diameters less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5),” Edward Avol, a professor in the environmental health division of the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, previously told Runner’s World. “When you’re breathing heavily, they get drawn deep into your lungs, into the blood/air exchange in your alveoli, where they can pass into the bloodstream and cause long-term health issues,” he explained.
As climate change continues to worsen, making the call of whether to bib up—or stay inside—will be a decision every runner has to face.
Contributing Writer
Kells McPhillips is a health and wellness journalist living in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, The New York Times, Well+Good, Fortune, Shape, and others.
