Police in California are investigating after over two dozen participants in the Santa Barbara Half Marathon ended up at the hospital on Sunday.
The Santa Barbara Police Department told The Associated Press that it opened an investigation after receiving reports from Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital about multiple half-marathon participants seeking medical treatment for “unusual symptoms.”
Cottage Health told the outlet in a statement Sunday that it had a “larger than expected number of emergency visits … a number of them with similar symptoms of undetermined cause.”
The hospital spokesperson said that they are still trying to determine if the symptoms were caused by heat or other factors.
Cottage Health told The Associated Press on Monday that 27 participants arrived in emergency rooms at its Santa Barbara and Goleta locations.
Twenty-four patients were treated and had been discharged from the hospital as of Monday morning. Three other patients were in stable condition, the spokesperson added.
Global News has reached out to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for further comment, but has not received a response.
Around 7,500 people participated in the half-marathon, which spanned around 21.1 kilometres along the Pacific Ocean and through the city’s downtown, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The temperature in Santa Barbara reached around 27 degrees Celsius by 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Event director David Monico said organizers transported 15 people from the medical tent to local hospitals. He said the event’s medical team treated numerous runners for dehydration and overheating both on the course and at the finish line.
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On Monday, the Santa Barbara County Health Department released a statement, saying, “Emergency medical personnel responded to a medical incident involving multiple participants during the Santa Barbara Half Marathon on Sunday, November 8, 2026, after runners began experiencing symptoms consistent with heat-related illness. In total, 30 participants received medical treatment.”
“The first request for medical assistance was received at approximately 8:41 a.m. for a runner experiencing symptoms consistent with heat exhaustion (i.e lightheadedness, feeling faint or about to pass out). The incident quickly escalated as additional runners along the racecourse requested medical assistance. There were no reported cases involving spectators or bystanders during the race,” the statement added.
The Santa Barbara County Health Department said that the cause of the incident remains under investigation.
“At this time, the medical incident appears to be an isolated event connected directly to race participation and the heat. There is no indication of a broader public health concern or ongoing risk to the community,” the health department said.
“Our primary concern is the health and well-being of everyone who participated in or attended Sunday’s event,” said Dr. Henning Ansorg, County Health Officer. “If you were at the race, either as a participant or spectator, and are still experiencing symptoms of illness, please seek medical attention and follow up with your physician, urgent care or an emergency department.”
The health department said that the County of Santa Barbara Environmental Health Services staff conducted inspections of the race electrolyte drink preparation location on Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning before the event, prior to issuing temporary food facility permits.
The inspectors found no violations or areas of concern and all water supplies and related materials inspected were observed to be clean, properly packaged, unopened and stored in sanitary conditions.
Any kind of exercising in the heat can be challenging, but running a marathon in warm, humid conditions is especially difficult because it’s hard to prevent overheating when a person keeps pushing themselves for hours.
Dr. James Sawalla Guseh, the director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program at Mass General Brigham, told Global News that endurance events are “remarkably safe for most well-prepared athletes.”
“However, they do place considerable demands on the human body. Two of the most serious complications we see are exertional heat stroke, when the body overheats to the point that the brain and other organs are affects, and hyponatremia, when drinking too much fluid causes sodium levels in the blood to fall dangerously low,” Guseh explains.
“Occasionally, athletes develop rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which excessive muscle breakdown can lead to kidney injury. More commonly we see dehydration, heat exhaustion, and runners who collapse after crossing the finish line,” he adds.
“Serious cardiac events are rare, but they do occur particularly in the final quarter of races. I think it’s important to remember that even a well-trained runner can get into trouble. The weather, a recent illness, and how someone feels on race day all matter.”
Guseh says that one of the biggest warning signs that a runner is experiencing a medical episode is “a change in someone’s mental status.”
“If a runner becomes confused, disoriented, is acting in an odd way or is unusually unsteady, that’s a medical emergency. Chest pain, fainting, severe shortness of breath and persistent vomiting are also reasons to stop and seek medical attention,” Guseh says.
Guseh also notes that there is an important distinction between runners who collapse during a race and those who collapse after finishing.
“Someone who collapses while running is particularly concerning and needs immediate evaluation,” he explains. “Heat stroke and dangerously low sodium can look very similar and the treatments are quite different. That’s why it’s so important to get medical attention rather than assume someone is simply dehydrated.”
In order to remain safe during race day, Guseh suggests to build your training gradually and give yourself time to adjust to warmer conditions.
“Think twice about racing if you’re sick, particularly if you have a fever or significant fatigue. During the race, drink to thrist rather than forcing fluids and have a reasonable plan for nutrition,” he adds.
Guseh tells athletes to pay attention to the conditions and be willing to adjust their goals.
“A pace that feels easy on a cool morning can be much harder on a hot, humid day,” Guseh adds. “Your fitness doesn’t change overnight, but the conditions under which you exercise certainly can. Sometimes the smartest decision an athlete makes is to slow down or stop.”
—With files from The Associated Press
