Weather forecast for Olympic trial race is better than 4 years ago
By
Mark Puleo, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Feb 26, 2020 6:54 PM EDT
Runners compete during the start of the women's qualifier during the U.S. Olympic marathon trials, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Hundreds of hopeful American harriers will pack the streets of Atlanta on Saturday to race for the dream of a lifetime. But just four years after the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials were run in Los Angeles amid record-high temperatures, this year’s race in Atlanta seemed to have the potential for another warm-weather debacle.
However, good luck and smart planning may have been the crucial ingredients to avoid another dangerously hot race.
"Some great running weather is in store for the Atlanta area on Saturday afternoon," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said. "Under partly to mostly sunny skies, temperatures will be in the lower 50s. It will be a little breezy, so runners have to factor that in, with winds expected to blow out of the northwest at about 10 to 20 miles per hour."
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
A total of 771 runners reached the necessary qualifying times, which are 2:45 for women and 2:19 for men. While not every qualifier will be in Atlanta racing this weekend, as injuries or other plans keep plenty from competing, event planners and spectators should be prepared to see one of the largest turnouts in history. For comparison, the 2016 Trials race saw a total of 366 racers take part after 457 qualified.
Those friendly temperatures are a kind surprise to many runners and Atlanta spectators, as normal daily high temperatures towards the end of February trend at least 10 degrees warmer on average.
Galen Rupp, center, stands with Jared Ward, left, and Meb Keflezighi, right, to pose for a photo during the U.S. Olympic marathon trials, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Those 366 racers from the previous Olympics cycle took part in the warmest Olympic Marathon Trials in history. According to The Los Angeles Times, the temperature at the start time was 66 degrees and quickly soared above 70 degrees in the first half of the race. By the finish, the mercury was just a hair under 80.
"The most prime experience I have of warm weather marathon racing was the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials," qualifier Dan Kresmke told AccuWeather in an email. "Southern California experienced an unseasonable February heat wave which really became the narrative for that entire race weekend. As the race unfolded, many of the competitors, myself included, succumbed to the heat and either slowed down their pace precipitously or dropped out. I ended up experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion around mile 15 and had to drop out of the race."
Kremske, who trained in much cooler conditions in Oregon, grew up in the suburbs of Chicago before moving to Oregon for college. After qualifying and participating in the 2016 Trials, he requalified for the 2020 trials at the 2019 Chicago Marathon.
The stifling temperatures led to widespread dropouts and frustrations from runners, who complained about the location of the event and the support they received during the race. Men's winner Galen Rupp cut holes in his jersey to cool off while others doused themselves with freezing water at aid stations. Women's Olympic qualifier Shalane Flanagan collapsed after finishing and had to be carried to an aid station by her husband.
Shalane Flanagan, center, is carried off by husband Steven Edwards, left, after collapsing at the finish line as Amy Cragg, right, looks on during the U.S. Olympic marathon trials, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
"I got pretty dehydrated yesterday out on the course. I was feeling fantastic all the way up until the last (six-mile) loop. I started to get chills heading into that last loop," Flanagan told Runners World a day after the 2016 race. "Probably at mile 23, I was in a really bad place and typically people would stop and walk or drop out. But obviously I had something huge on the line, so I pushed through and pushed my body to a place I’ve never experienced. I was really dizzy, chills, ringing in my ears, couldn’t see straight."
All of those fears and frustrations were restored in April 2018 when the USATF, the sport's national governing body, announced that Atlanta, another warm-weather city, would be hosting the 2020 Trials.
One helpful factor, however, is the time of the year. As Kremske pointed out, holding a major marathon in the wintry month of February, as the Trials are forced to do, means it's preferable for a warmer weather city to host the race.
"For marathon racing, the ideal conditions are temperatures in the mid-40Fs or low-50Fs with light or variable winds. Atlanta is a prime city to dependably feature those kinds of optimal racing conditions around this time of the year," he said. "We've been fortunate to have somewhat of a mild winter here in Chicago, so I'm thankful that the expected race conditions won't necessitate any significant time to acclimate my body to anything too far beyond what I've been training in over these last several months."
The six athletes, three men and three women, who will earn their slots at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games may not be able to outrun the heat in Japan come August, however. The marathon event was moved away from the host city of Tokyo to Sapporo, located more than 500 miles to the north.
However, forecasts of lower temperatures have cooled those worries in the week leading up to the race.
Humidity, a key factor that has ruined elite runners' races in the past, is also expected to be favorable for the athletes competing in Atlanta, as dry air over the city will keep relative humidity levels in the 30 to 40 percent range, according to Deger.
"The AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature will only just be a couple of degrees below the actual thermometer reading," Deger said. "In the upper 40s to near 50, overall conditions will be favorable for running."
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Sports
Weather forecast for Olympic trial race is better than 4 years ago
By Mark Puleo, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Feb 26, 2020 6:54 PM EDT
Runners compete during the start of the women's qualifier during the U.S. Olympic marathon trials, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Hundreds of hopeful American harriers will pack the streets of Atlanta on Saturday to race for the dream of a lifetime. But just four years after the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials were run in Los Angeles amid record-high temperatures, this year’s race in Atlanta seemed to have the potential for another warm-weather debacle.
However, good luck and smart planning may have been the crucial ingredients to avoid another dangerously hot race.
"Some great running weather is in store for the Atlanta area on Saturday afternoon," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said. "Under partly to mostly sunny skies, temperatures will be in the lower 50s. It will be a little breezy, so runners have to factor that in, with winds expected to blow out of the northwest at about 10 to 20 miles per hour."
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
A total of 771 runners reached the necessary qualifying times, which are 2:45 for women and 2:19 for men. While not every qualifier will be in Atlanta racing this weekend, as injuries or other plans keep plenty from competing, event planners and spectators should be prepared to see one of the largest turnouts in history. For comparison, the 2016 Trials race saw a total of 366 racers take part after 457 qualified.
Those friendly temperatures are a kind surprise to many runners and Atlanta spectators, as normal daily high temperatures towards the end of February trend at least 10 degrees warmer on average.
Galen Rupp, center, stands with Jared Ward, left, and Meb Keflezighi, right, to pose for a photo during the U.S. Olympic marathon trials, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Those 366 racers from the previous Olympics cycle took part in the warmest Olympic Marathon Trials in history. According to The Los Angeles Times, the temperature at the start time was 66 degrees and quickly soared above 70 degrees in the first half of the race. By the finish, the mercury was just a hair under 80.
"The most prime experience I have of warm weather marathon racing was the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials," qualifier Dan Kresmke told AccuWeather in an email. "Southern California experienced an unseasonable February heat wave which really became the narrative for that entire race weekend. As the race unfolded, many of the competitors, myself included, succumbed to the heat and either slowed down their pace precipitously or dropped out. I ended up experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion around mile 15 and had to drop out of the race."
Kremske, who trained in much cooler conditions in Oregon, grew up in the suburbs of Chicago before moving to Oregon for college. After qualifying and participating in the 2016 Trials, he requalified for the 2020 trials at the 2019 Chicago Marathon.
The stifling temperatures led to widespread dropouts and frustrations from runners, who complained about the location of the event and the support they received during the race. Men's winner Galen Rupp cut holes in his jersey to cool off while others doused themselves with freezing water at aid stations. Women's Olympic qualifier Shalane Flanagan collapsed after finishing and had to be carried to an aid station by her husband.
Shalane Flanagan, center, is carried off by husband Steven Edwards, left, after collapsing at the finish line as Amy Cragg, right, looks on during the U.S. Olympic marathon trials, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
"I got pretty dehydrated yesterday out on the course. I was feeling fantastic all the way up until the last (six-mile) loop. I started to get chills heading into that last loop," Flanagan told Runners World a day after the 2016 race. "Probably at mile 23, I was in a really bad place and typically people would stop and walk or drop out. But obviously I had something huge on the line, so I pushed through and pushed my body to a place I’ve never experienced. I was really dizzy, chills, ringing in my ears, couldn’t see straight."
All of those fears and frustrations were restored in April 2018 when the USATF, the sport's national governing body, announced that Atlanta, another warm-weather city, would be hosting the 2020 Trials.
One helpful factor, however, is the time of the year. As Kremske pointed out, holding a major marathon in the wintry month of February, as the Trials are forced to do, means it's preferable for a warmer weather city to host the race.
"For marathon racing, the ideal conditions are temperatures in the mid-40Fs or low-50Fs with light or variable winds. Atlanta is a prime city to dependably feature those kinds of optimal racing conditions around this time of the year," he said. "We've been fortunate to have somewhat of a mild winter here in Chicago, so I'm thankful that the expected race conditions won't necessitate any significant time to acclimate my body to anything too far beyond what I've been training in over these last several months."
The six athletes, three men and three women, who will earn their slots at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games may not be able to outrun the heat in Japan come August, however. The marathon event was moved away from the host city of Tokyo to Sapporo, located more than 500 miles to the north.
Related:
However, forecasts of lower temperatures have cooled those worries in the week leading up to the race.
Humidity, a key factor that has ruined elite runners' races in the past, is also expected to be favorable for the athletes competing in Atlanta, as dry air over the city will keep relative humidity levels in the 30 to 40 percent range, according to Deger.
"The AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature will only just be a couple of degrees below the actual thermometer reading," Deger said. "In the upper 40s to near 50, overall conditions will be favorable for running."
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo