Way too many dead in Chinese Ultra-marathon

[Jimmy Higgins]

This is just nuts! I remember being upset when a triathlon was postponed due to weather, low 60s, windy, rain, but I had psyched myself up for it. The weather these races ran into? They didn't have a chance!

Liang Jing, an ultramarathon champion, and Huang Guanjun, a hearing-impaired marathoner, were among 21 people who died in the 100km (60-mile) race.

"We've lost masters of the sport. This is an earthquake for the domestic running circle," a Weibo user wrote.
The runners got into trouble after the race was hit by freezing temperatures.

Surviving participants said the forecast had indicated there would be some wind and rain, but nothing as extreme as what they experienced.

The mountainous race was halted when some of the 172 runners went missing, and a massive rescue operation was launched.

21 people died. That number is unfathomable for a race, even an ultra! I didn't even think it possible. 172 racers were missing at one point.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The weather isn't the problem. The problem is that the race organizers weren't prepared to pull the racers off the course when the weather crapped out.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

The weather isn't the problem. The problem is that the race organizers weren't prepared to pull the racers off the course when the weather crapped out.

That sounds like the weather was the problem.

 

[Jayjay]

The communist party is getting rusty. When 172 contestants went missing, they should've just changed the event to an extreme hide and seek championship and declared China the master of the sport.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The weather isn't the problem. The problem is that the race organizers weren't prepared to pull the racers off the course when the weather crapped out.

That sounds like the weather was the problem.

When you're away from civilization you have to be prepared for things to get messed up.

Yes, the weather is immediate cause of death. Weather happens, the real issue is there was no plan B. I hike solo into areas with very little traffic--think I ever go out there without a plan B? And a plan C for that matter. Mountain weather is unpredictable--I've been hit by hail when the forecast was 0% chance of rain.

 

[blastula]

I wonder if the more competitive runners fared worse because they wouldn't quit.

 

[TV and credit cards]

The weather isn't the problem. The problem is that the race organizers weren't prepared to pull the racers off the course when the weather crapped out.

That sounds like the weather was the problem.

When you're away from civilization you have to be prepared for things to get messed up.

Yes, the weather is immediate cause of death. Weather happens, the real issue is there was no plan B. I hike solo into areas with very little traffic--think I ever go out there without a plan B? And a plan C for that matter. Mountain weather is unpredictable--I've been hit by hail when the forecast was 0% chance of rain.

It’s a marathon. What are they going to do, take a winter coat and an umbrella with them just in case?

 

[zorq]

Yes, the race organizers ought to have considered contingencies like winter coats to keep the racers alive in unexpected circumstances.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Yes, the race organizers ought to have considered contingencies like winter coats to keep the racers alive in unexpected circumstances.

They needed to find them first, then they needed to know they needed to find them even before that. This was off road I think. So, it likely wasn't easy to even go out and find them.

These events aren't uncommon there, so their unpreparedness is questionable and unestablished. Whether the weather needed to be more closely monitored than it was will likely never be known.

 

[thebeave]

You mentioned that there were way too many dead. What would be an acceptable number of dead?

 

[bilby]

The weather isn't the problem. The problem is that the race organizers weren't prepared to pull the racers off the course when the weather crapped out.

That sounds like the weather was the problem.

When you're away from civilization you have to be prepared for things to get messed up.

Yes, the weather is immediate cause of death. Weather happens, the real issue is there was no plan B. I hike solo into areas with very little traffic--think I ever go out there without a plan B? And a plan C for that matter. Mountain weather is unpredictable--I've been hit by hail when the forecast was 0% chance of rain.

To be fair, 0% chance of rain doesn't say anything about the chances of hail.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

When you're away from civilization you have to be prepared for things to get messed up.

Yes, the weather is immediate cause of death. Weather happens, the real issue is there was no plan B. I hike solo into areas with very little traffic--think I ever go out there without a plan B? And a plan C for that matter. Mountain weather is unpredictable--I've been hit by hail when the forecast was 0% chance of rain.

To be fair, 0% chance of rain doesn't say anything about the chances of hail.

As we descended it became rain instead. We actually preferred the hail--it was small enough it was simply bouncing off without hurting. We had to pull out rain gear at the lower elevations.