Welcome,
I have run races in some pretty terrible weather, and like most runners, my threshold for deciding conditions are bad is higher than it should be once I have paid for the race and traveled the start line.
Am I always making the smartest decision on whether or not to race? Definitely not, which is also why I do not think runners should always be the last line of defense when race conditions become dangerous.
On Sunday, September 13, runners at the Racefaster Half Marathon in Paramus, New Jersey, found themselves wading through brown floodwater that reached as high as their waists in some sections, while videos showed runners holding onto railings and each other as water rushed across the course. Rushing water!
The race had already been pushed from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. because of the weather, while flash flooding was developing across Bergen County, and several inches of rain had fallen by the time runners were on the course…Yet the race still started.
At What Depth Does a Half Marathon Become a Swim?
News 12 interviewed runners who described strong currents, dirty water and having to hold onto railings to keep moving, while one runner said she stopped because she had already decided before the race that if the river reached the path, she was done. Around 250 people finished.
Put enough runners in race bibs, tell them the finish line is still open and a surprising number will apparently look at waist-deep brown water and decide they can get through it. Is it because we are in the social media era where the more badass you look, the more likes you get? The more “crazy” it is, the more likes you get?
I understand the mentality more than I would like to admit because runners do versions of this all the time. We finish with injuries, keep racing after throwing up, convince ourselves heat is manageable and tell ourselves one more mile is fine because we already made it this far.
Floodwater, though?
The CDC recommends staying out of floodwater because it can contain sewage, chemicals, sharp debris, bacteria and other contaminants, and even shallow moving water can be dangerous. Basically, if you are wondering what is floating around your legs while you are trying to run a half marathon, you may not want the answer. Is it worth risking your health for?
There Was Apparently Another Route
After the race, Bergen County officials said Racefaster had been advised to use an alternate route around the flooding. County officials said some runners used the original route anyway, while runners interviewed by News 12 said they did not know there was another route available.
Did Racefaster clearly tell everyone where to go? Were course markings confusing? Did runners ignore directions? Were volunteers even positioned where they needed to be? Why was that flooded part even accessible?
We do not know yet, and Bergen County is investigating whether the race complied with the conditions of its permit. What we do know is that Racefaster has been placed on probation by the Bergen County Park Department permitting office and cannot hold races in county parks for at least one year.
Runners Have “Always” Raced in Bad Weather
There is sometimes an argument whenever something like this happens that runners used to handle bad weather and nobody complained. Races have always dealt with terrible weather. We just did not always have hundreds of phones recording.
I have had races changed or canceled because of tornado warnings, flash flooding and heat, including the 2024 Santa Monica Classic, which shortened the race during an extreme Southern California heat wave.
There is also the larger climate question because extreme rainfall events are becoming more common in parts of the United States, which means races are going to keep dealing with weather situations. A race director cannot control the weather, although they do control whether runners are still being told there is a race to finish.
“Runners Could Have Just Stopped”
Runners could have, and several runners did.
That argument still gives race organizers an incredible amount of freedom from responsibility.
Runners make bad race-day decisions constantly because the whole setup encourages us to keep going. There is a clock running, other people are continuing, volunteers are still on the course and someone has told you the event is still happening.
If I show up for a half marathon, the start gets delayed for two hours because of severe weather and then someone announces we are finally starting, I am going to assume the race director has decided the race course is now safe.
Runners cannot see what is happening six miles ahead, I do not know which roads emergency vehicles can reach and I do not know what conversations have happened with county officials.
That is one of the parts of what you are paying for when you enter an organized race. You pay for the safety and resources along the course.
Race Cancellation Is Expensive. Someone Dying Is Always Worse.
Nobody wants their race canceled after months of training, and nobody wants to lose a registration fee after already paying for travel, hotels and everything else that gets attached to race weekend.
I recently wrote about why getting into marathons has become so difficult, and once someone finally gets a bib, there can be a huge amount of money and emotional investment attached to making it to the finish.
Race organizers have already spent money too because permits, timing, shirts, medals, staffing, police and medical support were purchased long before anyone checked the weather forecast…they don’t recoup that money once a race cancels.
The Weirdest Part Is That I Understand Why People Kept Going
This is what makes the Paramus race fascinating to me. I can sit here afterward, look at those videos and say I would absolutely stop.
But would I? I would like to think yes.
I also know runners are remarkably good at adjusting what we consider acceptable once we are already in the race, especially when people around us are continuing too. Would I have mentally said: this is a weird, fun, challenge and not thought about the consequences?
Someone steps into the water ahead of you, then another person follows, and suddenly something that would have made you turn around immediately on a normal Sunday run becomes part of the course.
That herd mentality is exactly why race organizers occasionally have to make a decision runners will hate.
The Modern Running Boom Is Changing What a Race Even Is, and as fields get larger, organizers are dealing with thousands of people who may have completely different abilities, experience levels and willingness to take risks.
There will always be someone angry when a race gets shortened or canceled, and if the storm passes twenty minutes later, social media will be filled with photos of blue skies and people demanding refunds.
Would you have kept running after reaching the flooded section of the Racefaster Half Marathon?
At what stage should a race director make the call for runners instead of leaving it up to each person?