Despite the tailwind, direct sun made the challenging Boston Marathon course just a little more uncomfortable this Patriots’ Day. And for some runners it became unbearable—and almost dangerous. In total, 2,358 runners, or about 8 percent of the field, received medical attention.
“We saw a lot of runners with temperatures over 105 degrees,” said Chris Troyanos, a certified athletic trainer who served as the medical services coordinator of the race for the 40th year in a row. “The most common problem we saw were runners who were extremely hypothermic. But we worked to get everyone out of the woods.”
Troyanos expected the number of runners facing medical emergencies to be much higher. Of the participants who required medical attention, 942 received aid on the course and 1,416 were treated at the finish.
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Before making it to the medical tents, some runners needed help to make it to the finish line. In several different instances, athletes experiencing cramps literally leaned on other race participants and/or volunteers to make it through their race.
Here are just a few moments of runners helping runners on Boylston Street.