Heat Takes Toll on Pasadena Marathon Runners

The heat took a toll on about a dozen runners in today's 5th annual Pasadena Marathon, a Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman said.

The event was downgraded from a 26.2-mile marathon to a 13.1-mile half- marathon this year due to a low turnout last year, according to a May 1 press release.

The temperature was about 90 degrees, with radiated heat from the street, according to Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian.

"We've seen at least 12 heat-related illnesses, including four transported to hospitals in serious condition,'' Derderian said.

The seriously ill were men in their 20s, according to Derderian.

Marathon officials posted a statement on their website urging runners to hydrate in the heat and promising to be ready with extra water and iced towels at the support stations.

Some runners seemed to show the effects of the heat when they slowed down at the end of the race, according to Derderian, stopping 100 feet from the finish line.

"We have cooling buses at the end, but people have to be careful not to go right from the burning heat into the cooling buses,'' Derderian said.

She described the buses as "full to capacity.''

The Half Marathon started at 6:30 a.m., and at 9:30 a.m. many of the streets were reopened, according to Derderian however, there were still a lot of runners on the streets or sidewalks, subject to increasing temperatures as they plodded toward the finish, Derderian said.

About 3,500 runners were expected, she said.