BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — The Corporate Challenge was back in full swing Thursday afternoon for the first time in three years; runners were met with temperatures in the 80s and humid air.
"The biggest challenge we have over running in the summer is to make sure you're not being beat down by the heat and humidity,” Chief of Sports Medicine at Excelsior Orthopedics, Jason Matuszak said.
"Usually, I figure I’m going to run 15 seconds a mile slower when its warm,” runner Mark Raybuck said.
Matuszak said the biggest challenge on hot days is maintaining a low core temperature. So, he said don't ignore warning signals and stay hydrated.
"When you have hot, humid days like today [Thursday], don't be afraid of them, embrace them, but get out and do a manageable distance,” Matuszak said. "If people are stumbling or feeling uneasy, the first thing you want to do is sit."
"Heat can creep up on you, it hits you out of nowhere,” Corporate Challenge female winner Cassie Goodman said. “So, there's always, for me, more nerves when its warm."
Runners said even with today's weather, being with 6,000 other participants helped keep their spirits up.
"Not ideal conditions for sure, but everyone's got to race in it, so we made the most of it,” Corporate Challenge male winner Benjamin Cardamone said.
For some, the corporate challenge was an opportunity to see familiar faces yet again.
"With the whole virtual working and work from home, I don't see them [co-workers] very often,” Raybuck said. “So, it’s good chance for some team building."
Despite today’s weather challenges, runners said they’re already excited for next year’s corporate challenge.
