ORLANDO, Fla. – More than 12,000 people are expected to be at Lake Eola Thursday for this year’s SimplyIOA Corporate 5K, but near 100-degree heat is causing concerns.
Because of the high temperatures in Orlando, event organizers have made a few changes.
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“We are asking and encouraging everybody to come prepared. We really want people to come hydrated, and the next thing people can do for themselves is to bring their own hydration container so that they can refill (it). So, they have it on-demand, if you will,” said Natalie Casey, of Track Shack.
In addition, Casey said because of the extreme heat the start time for the race has been pushed back to 6:45 p.m. and the course has also been shortened from 3.1 to 2.4 miles all to ensure all the runners stay safe.
“We considered the fact that it’s going to be the hottest day of the year and with that, we started looking at options on how to shorten the route so that it’s not such stress on the body,” Casey explained.
Hydration stations will be available for runners around the course.
“Here in Central Florida, we are used to temperatures in the 90s, right? We just aren’t used to them in May, so it’s a shock to our system. We’ve got to get used to it. It’s not heat-advisory status, but it’s certainly something that you’re going to feel the moment you get out the door,” News 6 meteorologist Candace Campos said.