11/09/2026 03:33:00
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11/09 15:31 CST Santa Barbara police investigate after 25 half marathon runners
seek medical care
Santa Barbara police investigate after 25 half marathon runners seek medical
care
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) --- Police in California are investigating after at
least two dozen participants in the Santa Barbara Half Marathon ended up at the
hospital on Sunday.
The Santa Barbara Police Department said in a statement 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 said 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."
Race organizers say they believe any illness is attributable to heat or
dehydration. Neither the hospital nor police have detailed the symptoms beyond
calling them unusual. Cottage Health said Monday that 25 participants arrived
in emergency rooms at its Santa Barbara and Goleta locations and 18 had been
discharged from the hospital as of that morning. The others were in stable
condition, the company said in a statement.
A police spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment
Monday on the status of the investigation.
The temperature in Santa Barbara reached 80 degrees Fahrenheit (around 27
degrees Celsius) by 10 a.m., which is unusual for November, when high
temperatures usually reach the lower to mid-70s, said Ryan Kitell, a
meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Roughly 7,500 people participated in the event, which spanned 13.1 miles (21.1
kilometers) along the Pacific Ocean and through the city's downtown.
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.
"There was no unusual symptoms or anything outside of the norm for a half
marathon or a marathon or some type of endurance event," Monico said.
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