Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Half marathon in the heat
By LOU PONSI
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
It was hot for this time and this place … no doubt about it.
The temperature at 6 a.m., the start time of Monday's Disneyland Half Marathon was 76 degrees, with 61 percent humidity.
The race was run under a red-flag warning, meaning heat-related injury was possible and runners susceptible to such ailments should not participate.
By 8 a.m., with throngs of runners still on the course, it was 82 degrees, and by 10 a.m., with participants still crossing the finish line, the temperature was up to about 90.
Carlos Carballo, 24, of Cathedral City and Suzy Schumacher, 38, of Phoenix, Ariz. seemed undaunted by the steamy conditions. Carballo and Schumacher were the respective male and female winners of the race, both crossing the line in faster times than the winners in 2006, the first year of the event.
Carballo won in a time of 1 hour, 10 minutes and .05 seconds, topping the mark of Brea's Kevin Broady, the 2006 winner, by more than a minute.
Carballo gave the relatively flat, 13.1-mile course high marks.
"It's neat," he said of the layout, which took runners through Disneyland, California Adventure, into Angel Stadium for a lap around the field, and around Honda Center.
"I've never been to the California Adventure so that was something new for me. That's why I wanted to (run this race)."
Schumacher, who finished just under a minute faster than 2006 winner Kim Jones, said the Disney scenery and cheering crowd compensated for the sweltering conditions.
"It was really warm but it was a great race," she said. "The cheers at Angel Stadium were incredible."
Four medical stations were positioned along the course, and Dr. Rick Csintalan, the race medical director, said his staff treated a "moderately higher" number of injuries compared to last year.
"We expected that because of the heat," he said. "It's difficult to hydrate when you are running and some people could have gotten dehydrated just standing around before the race."
NOTES
Orange County women fared better than their male counterparts. Of the top-10 male finishers, Broady, who placed sixth, was the only county resident. Three county women finished among the top 10, including Dana Point's Sherri Ellerby, 43, who finished third and Edith Martinez, 39, of Brea, who took fourth.
Half marathon in the heat
THEY'RE OFF: Half-Marathon runners gun it during the 6 a.m. start at Disneyland. The race drew about 10,000 participants.
Half marathon in the heat
CHEERING SQUAD: Spectators applaud finishers at Disney's Half Marathon.
Half marathon in the heat
HOME STRETCH: Michael Lindeborg of Laguna Niguel gives it his all as he approaches the finish in Disney's Half Marathon.
Half marathon in the heat
SIGN OF LOVE: Glenn Millar proposes to Aileen Arellano during the Disneyland Half Marathon. Both ran in the race.
Half marathon in the heat
MARATHON PROPOSAL: Glenn Millar embraces Aileen Arellano at the finish of Disney's Half Marathon. Millar proposed during the race and she accepted.
Half marathon in the heat
CHAMPION: Suzy Schumacher crosses the finish line taking first place in the woman's division during Disneyland's Half Marathon.
Half marathon in the heat
HOT HEAD: Mark Jordan of Las Vegas cools down after finishing the Disney Half Marathon. Officials warned runners of heat stroke danger.
