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Long Beach Marathon runners won't beat the weekend's heat
File: The Queen Mary sits at port in Long Beach.
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Benjamin Brayfield/KPCC
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Race organizers expecting some 25,000 athletes at Sunday's Long Beach Marathon are putting out extra drinks and adding spray misting stations to cool runners in temperatures forecast in the high 80s.
Long Beach race day features several distances and closes a few major streets through the morning. About 5,000 athletes will run the 26.2-mile marathon starting at 6 a.m. when it's about 70 degrees.
With most runners finishing between about four to six hours, the heat rising into the 80s could be a factor as they run from the downtown Long Beach shoreline inland through Cal State Long Beach's campus and back. Race organizers urged athletes to take a slower pace and stay hydrated.
To help the expected 14,000 half-marathon runners beat the heat, the race is letting them start the race at 6 a.m. if they forego the chance to win awards. Anybody competing for podium spots, however, must keep to the 7:30 a.m. start time for the half-marathon.
A 5K race, bike tour and children's fun run are also planned.
The city’s parks, libraries and community centers will be open for residents needing a cool indoor space to get out of the heat, said Dr. Mitchell Kushner, Long Beach city health officer.
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