About an hour after the run started, the decision was made to cancel the event, which boasted about 6,000 participants. They crossed the start line at Winnipeg’s IG Field at 7 a.m. as the temperature was already a balmy 23 C, but the humidex values will likely climb into the 35 to 40 range by 10 a.m. Earlier in the race, Manitoba Marathon executive director Rachel Munday said organizers were prepared for the heat, but they would be ready to close parts of the course if the heat gets too intense. “We’re going to make sure we’re keeping people safe,” she said before the race began. “We’ve got lots of cooling stations, lots of ice, lots of sprinklers, lots of community support, so we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to get people through the whole course without having to accelerate the closure before everyone is able to finish.”
Road closures
If you’re driving in Winnipeg this morning, expect some road closures throughout the day. Chancellor Matheson Road is closed from Research Way to University Crescent, and University Crescent is closed from Chancellor Matheson Road to Pembina Highway. Also closed is the off-ramp from southbound Pembina Highway to eastbound Jubilee Avenue. The City of Winnipeg says these road closures are in effect until 3 p.m.
