Fears over the safety of the World Championships marathon runners – Runner’s World (UK)

Today, World Championships organisers have voiced their fears over the heat and humidity for the marathon runners, despite the race starting at midnight. The women’s marathon is set to take place on Friday 27 September at 23:59, with the men’s marathon starting at a similar time on Sunday 5 October.

Despite the races starting so late to avoid the worst of the Doha heat, temperatures are still likely to be around 30 degrees celsius, with humidity levels of more than 80 per cent. The International Association of Athletics Federation president, Seb Coe, said the humidity would be the “real challenge” ahead of the race.

Organisers have announced there will be medical professionals scattered along the route and have increased the number of water stations and ice baths at the finish. Athletes have also been provided with guidelines on how to acclimatise to the heat and approach the race sensibility.

From a Team GB perspective, the fear is that the heat and humidity will get to the runners in the latter stages of the marathon, as it did when Callum Hawkins collapsed during the final stages of the Commonwealth Games marathon in Australia last year.

Cameron SpencerGetty Images

Should the organisers deem the heat and humidity unsafe to run in, plans have been drawn up to postpone the marathons until later in the competition. Coe added, “I want as many people as possible to finish in good shape”.

Want to hear what athletics coach and commentator Tom Craggs had to say about the forthcoming World Championships? Listen to the latest episode of the Runner’s World podcast.