A trail runner collapsed and died while competing in a California half marathon, which took place during a heat advisory.
Organizers of the Boney Half Marathon, SoCal Trail Events, confirmed the death of Spencer Cabral in an emailed statement to Advnture, saying that the runner was airlifted from the course to Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks on Saturday, May 10, where he was later pronounced dead.
"We're heartbroken by this tragic incident, and send our deepest condolences to the family," says Event Director Daniel Weissauer.
A cause of death for Cabral has not yet been released, but a heat advisory was in effect for the area that day, with temperatures as high as 103°F (39.4°C) predicted. Local news outlet the VC Star reports that a Fire Department spokesperson confirmed Cabral was one of four runners taken to the hospital with what appear to be heat-related illnesses.
The 13.1 mile (21km) race was one of several distances during the event in the Santa Monica mountains, which had been rescheduled from February when it was cancelled due to rain. Race volunteer Donnie Evans wrote on Instagram that the temperature was already 72°F (22°C) at 8am when the race began.
In its official statement, SoCal Trail says it takes extra precautions during extreme heat, including staffing aid stations with medical staff, doubling water supplies, providing ice, sponges, and misting systems, and enforcing hydration requirements.
"At SoCalTrail, the safety and well-being of our runners is always our highest priority."
A GoFundMe page has been established to support Cabral's family with funeral expenses.
Just one day later, a hiker died from heat-related illness on an Arizona trail. In that incident, rescue crews urged people to stay off the trails during the hottest part of the day, between 10am and 4pm, carry a liter of water for every hour you plan to be on the trail and be aware of the symptoms of heatstroke.
