Race Against Global Warming

One of the biggest stress factors for race organisers is the uncertainty of the weather on race day. We pore over long-range forecasts, trying to predict what conditions athletes and crews will face – and the variations can be dramatic.

At one event I was involved with for many years, we experienced everything from blistering 40-degree heat to minus-five degrees with icy rain. It’s a reminder that no matter how much planning goes into a race, the weather is always an uncontrollable factor that can have the final say.

Add global warming into this equation and things really start to get complex. Endurance events are already incredibly physically and mentally demanding for athletes. Expecting competitors to perform in blistering temperatures intensifies the challenge significantly, not only from a performance perspective, but also in terms of health and safety.

According to CNN Sports, a new study claims that rising global temperatures will make it harder for elite athletes to break marathon world records, or for recreational runners to achieve their personal bests.

The report, released by Climate Central, analysed 221 races worldwide and found that 86% are projected to be less likely to offer ideal racing conditions by 2045. This includes many of the world’s most prestigious marathons, underscoring how climate change is set to reshape the endurance sport landscape in the decades ahead.

As heat levels climb, optimal racing windows become narrower, and the physiological strain on athletes increases.

Scottish distance runner, Mhairi Maclennan says: “We’ve seen time and time again where athletes are passing out from dehydration and heat exhaustion during races and taking months to recover. It has really had a significant impact on the thickness of your blood, on how quickly your body is able to recover, on your hydration levels for days, and also your ability to train after that kind of experience, which can then delay other achievements and goals that you’re pursuing.”

So what steps can race directors take to future-proof their events against the impacts of global warming?

1. Rethink Race Timing and Scheduling

• Move start times earlier (even pre-dawn if necessary) to avoid peak heat

• Try if possible to shift race dates to cooler months

• Build flexibility into permits and supplier contracts to allow for weather-driven adjustments

2. Strengthen Heat Safety Protocols

• Develop a clear heat policy with defined thresholds for modified starts, shortened routes, or cancellation

• Increase on-course medical support trained specifically in heat-stroke symptoms and rapid cooling procedures

• Establish visible and well-communicated cooling stations with shade tents, misting sprays and ice baths

3. Increase Hydration & Cooling Infrastructure

• Add more frequent water points

• Provide electrolyte options

• Use shaded sections, temporary structures, or tree-lined route planning where possible

• Allow athletes to carry hydration packs if traditionally restricted

4. Improve Athlete Communication

• Send out emails educating athletes on how to avoid heat stroke during the event

• Provide pacing advice for hot conditions

• Encourage heat acclimatisation strategies

• Make withdrawal policies flexible so runners don’t feel pressured to start in unsafe conditions

5. Scenario Planning & Insurance

• Update risk assessments to reflect climate trends, not just historical averages

• Review event insurance to ensure coverage for extreme weather disruptions

• Create contingency plans for smoke, storms, flooding, or heatwaves

6. Reduce your Events Carbon Footprint

Future-proofing also means helping slow the problem:

• Incentivise public transport and carpooling

• Reduce single-use plastics at water tables

• Partner with sustainability organisations

• Offset unavoidable emissions responsibly

Endurance sport has always been about resilience. But as global temperatures rise, race directors must evolve from being reactive to proactive. The events that will thrive in the coming decades will be those that prioritise athlete welfare, embrace flexibility, and integrate climate awareness into every layer of planning.

What do you need help with as an event organiser? If there is an area of organising you would like to know more about, send a mail to tim@finishtime.co.za and we will see if we can find some info for you.

Words To Live By ...

“The world of event management is a playground
for creative minds.”

–Unknown

We Love A Finish Time

February may be the month of love, but for the FinishTime team, it’s been a whirlwind of timing events across Southern Africa. From the Kilimanjaro Trails Festival in Tanzania and the Old Mutual Harare Marathon in Zimbabwe to the Midmar Mile in Howick and the eXp Realty 5 km Fun Run on Sea Point Promenade in Cape Town, FinishTime was there bringing competitors their finish time.

FinishTime timed over 10 events each weekend and this was only made possible by their awesome teams of timers, who in most cases travelled across Southern Africa to be at the events. Together with their state-of-the-art equipment, there are always technical experts available to assist the teams remotely if they experience any problems. This gives them the confidence to go and do what they do best, make sure ever competitor ends with a FinishTime.

Keen For A Bit Of Plogging?

 

                                                                                                              George Carden/BBC

The Brighton Marathon has introduced “plogging” this year in an effort to be more sustainable.

Plogging? Is that a chorus of "What in the world is that?" I hear – and let’s be honest, why would you know?

Plogging combines running and picking up litter. This practice was started in Sweden in 2016 and the term combines the Swedish word plocka upp (pick up) with jogging.

According to the BBC, for the Brighton Marathon on 12 April, a team of 20 runners will follow the 42km route around Brighton picking up discarded gel sachets, cups and other litter dropped during the marathon.

"We will have runners doing 10km slots and we will pick up any litter that is dropped," said Darren Evans, co-founder of The Green Runners.

"We should be able to cope with any litter that is left. The whole point of plogging is to leave the environment better than when you started. It's about getting fit and making a difference to the environment."

Locally, anybody who has run on a race route the day after a big event is likely to understand why South Africa could definitely benefit from a bit of “plogging”. Races could possibly introduce a plogging category, and give a prize to the athlete who picks up the biggest volume of litter and finishes in the shortest time. Maybe something to consider for your event this year...

Do you have an unusual, wild, whacky or funny story about event organising? If so, send it to tim@finishtime.co.za (max 300 words please).