By Geoff Herbert
syracuse.com
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — At least 19 runners have been hospitalized with “unusual symptoms” after participating in a half-marathon in California.
NBC reports a “larger than expected” number of participants in Santa Barbara’s half-marathon ended up in the emergency room Sunday at Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospitals. Police said the victims arrived by ambulance, self-transportation or as walk-ins with “similar symptoms of undetermined cause.”
| WATCH: EMS ONE-STOP: Confronting FDNY’s EMS challenges
Police are investigating a possible link to the race. Officials did provide more details about the symptoms, health risks or potential causes.
David Monico, event director for the Santa Barbara Half Marathon, told NBC that “three’s always a handful” of people needing hospitalization after a long-distance race. He said warm weather could be a factor as the event’s medical team saw people with heat exhaustion, regular exhaustion and dehydration.
“But this year, it was more than we’ve had in the past. We also had more runners than we’ve had in the past as well,” Monico said. “There was a lot that has been said on social media and was circulated, and so (the police are) doing their due diligence to see if there’s any facts and truth behind it.”
“We don’t know at this point. All we know is that from our medical team and what has been reported so far is that there weren’t any unusual symptoms or circumstances for those that have been transported that you typically see at events like this.”
According to race organizers, there were 7,500 registered participants in the half-marathon, which began at 7 a.m. Sunday.
Police said anyone else who feels ill should seek medical help. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Santa Barbara police Sgt. Andre Miller at 805-897-2330.
©2026 Advance Local Media LLC.
Visit syracuse.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.