27 Runners Hospitalized After Santa Barbara Half-Marathon Incident
Police opened an investigation into unusual symptoms reported by participants, while organizers cite high heat and dehydration as the likely cause.
By Harper Collins ·
Santa Barbara police opened an investigation on Monday into the medical condition of nearly 30 runners who participated in the Santa Barbara Half-Marathon on Sunday. The probe was launched after Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital reported that multiple participants sought treatment for symptoms described as unusual.
Cottage Health stated that its facilities in Santa Barbara and Goleta, a city approximately 10 miles west, received 27 patients in total. As of Monday morning, 24 of those individuals had been treated and discharged. The remaining three patients were listed in stable condition. Neither the hospital nor the police department has publicly detailed the specific symptoms beyond characterizing them as unusual.
Race organizers attributed the illness to heat and dehydration. The high temperature on race day reached 88 degrees Fahrenheit, a figure considered unusually high for this time of year. David Monico, the event director, told the Guardian that the medical team treated numerous runners for dehydration and overheating on the course and at the finish line.
Monico said organizers transported 15 people from the event's medical tent to local hospitals. He noted that there is no additional information to suggest the issues were caused by anything other than symptoms related to exertion in an endurance event.
More than 4,640 people competed in the race, which covered a distance of about 13 miles. The incident has prompted a formal look into the circumstances surrounding the hospitalizations, though initial reports point to environmental factors as the primary driver.
