Nearly 2,000 runners ran on Pacific Beach, Saturday morning, as extreme heat impacted the fifth annual Pacific Beach Half Marathon and 5K .
Earlier this week, organizers started making updated safety plans to protect participants from heat-related problems.
Temperatures were already nearing 90 degrees early in the morning as runners made their way toward the Mission Beach Boardwalk and back during the 5K.
There were several options to cool down along the course.
“We have more ice, more cold water, and more electrolytes,” said Eric Marenburg, the race director for Saturday’s event and the half-marathon scheduled for Sunday.
“For the longer race, we also have a cooling bus towards the end of the course. It is pumping air conditioning if anyone needs to take a break,” he said.
M.G. PerezM.G. Perez
Volunteers provided a steady flow of cold water to runners during the 5K race, Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Dani Maloney and her 10-year-old daughter, Lilli, came to Pacific Beach to cheer on Maloney’s boyfriend, Walter Leitmeyer, and his best friend.
“We are staying hydrated, and using cool rags. We had an umbrella that was to block the sun, but that one didn’t happen today,” Maloney said.
Runners also had the option of dropping out and transferring their registration to next year’s event.
“I signed up for it. I gave my money. I was going to be here no matter what,” Leitmeyer told NBC 7 after finishing the race. He said, “it was warm since the very beginning. I couldn’t really feel the heat until we actually got to the shade part. Then you could really feel the heat coming on you.”
Organizers were also preparing additional precautions for Sunday’s half marathon, when runners are scheduled to cover 13.1 miles.
M.G. PerezM.G. Perez
Dani Maloney and her daughter, Lilli, 10, hold signs of support to cheer runners in Saturday’s 5K on Pacific Beach, October 3, 2026.
The heat also led organizers to cancel the children’s fun run as a precaution. The youngest registered runners still received goodie bags and were invited to participate in the Santa Run in December.
Lilli Maloney was happy to cheer on the runners but was not a fan of the hot weather.
“I don’t like it. It’s too hot, and sometimes my school makes me stay outside,” she said.
M.G. PerezM.G. Perez
The Pacific Beach 5K course runs along the coastline, challenging runners to race on the sand, October 3, 2026.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.