All of the 27 Santa Barbara Half Marathon runners who had been treated at area hospitals earlier this week have been discharged, Cottage Health spokesperson Cristina Cortez confirmed on Tuesday.
County of Santa Barbara Health spokesperson Ryyn Schumacher said on Monday that 30 runners ultimately received medical treatment for symptoms “consistent with heat-related illness.” Twenty-seven of them were treated at hospitals.
He confirmed that everyone who received medical care related to the half marathon was a race runner.
Santa Barbara Police Department said Sunday that they were investigating “suspicious circumstances” after more than two dozen half marathon runners were taken to the hospital. Approximately 5,700 people registered to run in the race.
Rumors quickly spread that a water station had been spiked, but authorities have not released information about the investigation other than police saying Sunday that they considered it suspicious circumstances.
Schumacher said County Environmental Health Services staff inspected the location where the race electrolyte drinks were being prepared twice prior to the race before issuing temporary food facility permits.
He said inspectors “found no violations or areas of concern” and that “all water supplies and related materials inspected were observed to be clean, properly packaged, unopened, and stored in sanitary conditions.
“No suspicious findings were identified during either inspection,” he added.
“At this time, the medical incident appears to be an isolated event connected directly to race participation and the heat,” he said Monday evening. “There is no indication of a broader public health concern or ongoing risk to the community.”
Police Department Commander Nathan Beltran told Noozhawk on Tuesday there were no additional updates available for release.
Several runners, or friends or family members of runners, have publicly said affected people were drug tested at the hospital as part of the investigation, but results were pending.
County spokesperson Kelsey Gerckens Buttitta on Tuesday referred additional Noozhawk questions about drug testing of affected race participants to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
The Santa Barbara Police Department could not immediately be reached Thursday.
Santa Barbara Half Marathon Event Director David Monico told Noozhawk on Sunday that organizers have “no reason to believe that it’s anything more than just the heat and exhaustion from the half marathon.”
He said it is not unusual for people to be transported to the hospital during a “warm day” such as Sunday, which, per the National Weather Service, had a high of 86 degrees.
Police have recommended that anyone with information about this incident contact Sgt. Andre Miller at 805.897.2330.
Runner’s Father Says Son Couldn’t Move Limbs
The father of one Santa Barbara Half Marathon runner who was hospitalized said his son couldn’t move his limbs, “foamed at the mouth” and didn’t know his own name after he collapsed at the end of the half marathon.
Both are Santa Barbara residents. The father agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity; their identities are known to Noozhawk.
The son — who is in his 30s and has run a half marathon before — ran Sunday alongside his girlfriend.
He reportedly collapsed in his girlfriend’s arms, shortly after taking a drink at the last hydration station along the route, his father told Noozhawk.
He did not recall exactly what the drink was but refuted the idea that his son would take a tequila shot, as some other runners did.
“He was running. He was physically running, but he… doesn’t remember one part of that. And then he collapsed,” the father said.
His son was unconscious for roughly 30 to 40 minutes.
When the man woke up, he “couldn’t move any of his limbs. He could not say one word,” his father said.
The father said his son also “did not know his name. He didn’t know what city he lived in, the state — he didn’t know anything.”
He spent several hours on Sunday at the hospital with his son, who was discharged from the hospital on Monday evening.
His father said the son was drug tested for ketamine and GHB, and the results are pending as of Wednesday.
He thanked the hospital staff and said “they did a good job” treating his son.
“The staff was awesome,” he said. “Across the board, the staff was awesome.”
