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Organizers are stepping up their efforts to ensure the safety and comfort of both runners and spectators by providing hand warmers, heated buses, and blankets to combat the frigid temperatures.
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — This year’s annual tradition comes with an unexpected chill.
As participants arrive for the Donna Marathon, they’re met with the challenge of freezing conditions just as they prepare to hit the starting line.
“A friend at the gym doubted my ability to complete a marathon,” shared David Kearney, a marathon participant. “That comment ignited my journey into marathon training.”
Motivated by this challenge, Kearney has since tackled numerous 5ks and half-marathons, but this weekend marks his first attempt at completing the full marathon distance.
“This will be my first full one,” said Kearney. “I figured this would be the one that makes the most sense. My grandmother had breast cancer. She beat it.”
Now, Kearney will have to beat some extremely cold temperatures if he wants to finish his first marathon.
It’s something thousands of other runners will have to contend with too.
“We’ve got over 9000 registered as of right now and more are coming in by the moment,” said Donna Foundation Executive Director Amanda Napolitano. “It’s interesting, ‘The cold never bothered me anyway,’ right?”
Napolitano expects it could be the coldest Donna marathon yet, so they’re already preparing for it.
“We have warming buses, mushroom heaters, we’re heating our hospitality tents,” said Napolitano. “We’ll have mylar blankets for everybody.”
Organizers are looking for a little help from the community to keep runners safe in the cold – the City of Neptune Beach posted on Facebook to ask anyone along the route to turn off their sprinkler systems for the weekend.
“We’re all tucked in to the neighborhoods at the beaches, so it could be that a sprinkler system gets water on the road and we don’t want anybody to slip,” said Napolitano.
Kearney is trying to view the cold as motivation.
“The faster you run, the faster you’re done, so I’m going to try to be out there for as little time as possible,” said Kearney.
I’m sure his cousin, who he said is driving up from Orlando to support him, would appreciate a quick finish too.
The marathon starts at Latham Plaza 7:30 Sunday morning.