Runners are used to less-than-ideal conditions, but a warming climate can make the sport deadly. As part of the Climate & Environment team’s push to show how a warming world is affecting every facet of our lives, Phillis — himself a runner — delved into how it was reshaping runners and racing. He learned that a growing number of dangerously hot days means a corresponding rise in danger for runners, and experts said many races don’t have the equipment or expertise to save lives when heatstroke strikes.
Phillis spent weeks searching for runners who had suffered heat-related injuries in races. Many runners dislike talking about failing to finish a race or suffering a physical problem, so Phillis began by calling running groups and major marathons. It wasn’t until he came across the Korey Stringer Institute, thanks to research from NIRC’s Jennifer Farrar, that Phillis finally got traction. The institute focuses on heatstroke in athletes and pointed Phillis to the Falmouth Road Race in Massachusetts as one with significant experience in managing the threat. He finally connected with a woman who had collapsed in the 2023 race and became central as Phillis crafted a tense narrative around her story. Roberson traveled to Falmouth for this year’s race, where he was able to see the facilities to treat heatstroke and embedded with the woman. He spent race day with her and traveled by bicycle to capture the race in both photos and video, with Joshua A. Bickel editing the video. The work was paired with an animation created and voiced by Donavon Brutus.
Visit AP.org to request a trial subscription to AP’s video, photo and text services.
For breaking news, visit apnews.com.
Submission Links
https://bit.ly/3TkeLPARelated articles
