The Manitoba Marathon was canceled midway through the race after extreme heat forced organizers to stop the event for the safety of runners.
The Winnipeg race began on Sunday morning when meteorologists warned of high temperatures above 30 degrees, with humidex values above 40 degrees.
Environment Canada had a valid heat warning for Winnipeg on Sunday and warned residents of especially humid conditions.
In Canada’s largest cities, vulnerability to rising temperatures may depend on your neighborhood
Organizers said they were still working to make sure everyone was off the racetrack in the early afternoon after canceling the event.
“A collective decision was made … to ensure the safety of our runners and volunteers,” read a statement from organizers on social media.
“Congratulations to all our runners who tied the laces and left.”
The Manitoba Marathon had warned attendees in the days leading up to the event, advising people not to try their best personal time and to stop if they felt unwell due to the expected heat.
Environment Canada said temperatures were expected to drop to 20 degrees later in the afternoon. In the meantime, he advised all the people in the city to drink plenty of water, to watch the people nearby and to take a cold shower or to use the air conditioning if they feel the effects of the extreme heat.
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