NYC Triathlon Halved As City Faces Weekend Of Extreme Heat

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Extreme heat in New York City forced organizers of the Upper West Side's famous triathlon to shorten the race, it was announced Thursday night.

The New York City Triathlon Sunday will be about 16 miles shorter — the bike section will be cut from 24.8 miles to 12.4 miles and the run from 6.2 miles to 2.5 miles — as National Weather Service forecasters predict a heat index of up to 104 degrees, officials said.

"We have made the difficult decision to shorten the run and bike portions of the NYC Triathlon and Duathlon," organizers announced on Instagram about 9 p.m.

"The safety of our athletes and everyone in attendance is our top priority."

The race is typically 32-miles long, meaning the 2022 rendition is being chopped in half.

The entry fee to join the race is $370 and the VIP entrance fee is $599. The announcement that this year's Triathlon would be shortened to such a degree left some participants frustrated.

"I want a partial refund, then," one person wrote in response to the race organizer's announcement.

"Is there an option to defer to next year," another person wrote.

"Total joke," another person wrote on Instagram. "If you can’t take the heat - stay home!"

The Triathlon's decision to shorten the race comes two months after a man collapsed at the finish line of the Brooklyn Half Marathon and died later that day.

The race was run on a day the city faced hazardous heat with temperatures reaching close to the 90s.

Organizers are also providing the following stations to help runners stay hydrated.

• Touchless aid stations within the transition and at miles 0.9, 1.9, along the run course.
• Athletes must bring their reusable HydraPak cup or reusable water bottle to refill with hydration.
• Gatorade Endurance Energy Gels will be made available at the entry of Central Park on 96th St.
• Medical support and toilets will also be available at each aid station.
• Spray stations will be located at miles 2.5 and at the finish festival.
• Ice towels will be handed out at the finish line.

The race goes from the swim portion in the Hudson River, (yes, swimming in the Hudson River), to the bike course, to the running course.

The triathlon starts in Riverside Park at 81st Street, where they will swim north until 99th Street, and then proceed to the soccer field transition station at 101st Street for the subsequent bike leg.

Here are the Manhattan streets that will be closed Sunday due to the triathlon.

• Henry Hudson Parkway (Northbound) between West 58th Street and the Henry Hudson Bridge
• Henry Hudson Parkway Exit and Entrance ramps at West 96th Street
• West 96th Street between Henry Hudson Parkway and Central Park West
• West 96th Street Entrance into Central Park
• Central Park West Drive between 97th Street Transverse and Center Drive
• Center Drive between Central Park West Drive and Central Park East Drive
• Central Park East Drive between Center Drive and 97th Street Transverse
• Terrace Drive between Central Park West Drive and Central Park East Drive

You can find out more about the New York City Triathlon on its website.