it was snowing at last year's marathon!

First of all watching Andrew run in horrid conditions on Sunday along with countless other runners was shocking. I was at mile 8, 10, and mile 17. The first time I saw Andrew, he told me there was no water at the first two water stops, and promptly drained my water bottle. A handful of runners had gotten off the course at that point. Prior to proceeding on to my next spot to find Andrew, I filled my backpack with bottles of water and gatoraid.
At mile ten I missed seeing Andrew, but at this points sirens became a steady sound, and I saw two runners hit the ground. Lying on the pavement unable to move, or just sitting on the sidewalk waiting for a medic.
I was at mile 17 when the race was canceled, waiting for Andrew to pass. He was only minutes away when an ambulance rushed towards us, and stopped the steady flow of participants. A police officer gathered the crowd around and announced the hospitals were filling up with too many runners, and that the race was canceled.

I saw:
• At least four runners laying on the sidewalks,
• Handfuls of participants walk off the course at mile 8
• Sirens echoed from 10 AM until I took Andrew home at 2.
• Runners fetching their own water from corner stores!

As soon as I got to the runners fire fighters were opening hydrants that shot steady arches above the quite streets teaming with exhausted runners, and spectators searching for their friends and family. I moved towards the crowd of former runners, and after about a mile of searching found Andrew. Once I handed him and his running friends the water and Gatoraid, and followed them back to the start line. It was crazy! Ambulances were everywhere, volunteers didn’t look like they knew what was going on, and the crowds we’re hot, smelly, and unrelenting.

At the Team In Training tent, we witnessed a team member nearly pass out from heat exhaustion while waiting for over a half hour for medics to arrive.

I did an 18 mile run on Saturday in similar heat, but I carried my own water, and started about two hours earlier than the marathon did.