Police Investigating After 27 Half-Marathon Runners Sought 'Medical Treatment for Unusual Symptoms' in Southern California
A total of 27 people have been hospitalized for a mysterious illness after running the Santa Barbara Half Marathon.
Nov. 10 2026, Published 1:12 p.m. ET
Participants in a Santa Barbara half marathon are recovering after experiencing symptoms of an unknown illness, RadarOnline.com can report.
On Sunday, November 8, the Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospitals medically treated at least 19 people. While the cause is still unclear, some suspect heat may have played a role in the hospitalizations.
Illness Being Investigated
Online speculation about the suspicious cause has people wondering if the runners were drugged somehow.
Cottage Health Public Relations Manager Cristina Cortez said the "larger than expected number" of people shared "similar symptoms of undetermined cause."
A statement issued by the Santa Barbara Police Department stated that investigations are taking place after multiple people sought "medical treatment for unusual symptoms after the event concluded."
Patients arrived via walk-ins, self-transportation, and ambulance.
Heat May Play A Role
People were rushed to the emergency rooms of Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospitals.
Marathon event director David Monico recalled 15 people being transported by organizers from the medical tent to the hospitals. He noted that multiple people were treated for suspected heat exhaustion and dehydration during the trail and at the end.
About 7,500 people participated in the marathon, which was a 13.1 mile course. Water stations were provided on the route every 1.5 to 2.5 miles.
"There was no unusual symptoms or anything outside of the norm for a half marathon or a marathon or some type of endurance event," Monico said. "I hate to use the word normal, because if we get one transport we don’t like it, but for a lot of these endurance events you get transports, especially on these warmer days."
In Santa Barbara, temperatures unusually peaked for November, reaching 80 degrees Fahrenheit (or 27 degrees Celsius) by 10 am that day. Meteorologist Ryan Kitell reported that the highs usually reach lower to mid-70s during the month.
Runners Remark on Unexpected Heat
Fellow runners reflected on this year's marathon being hotter than usual.
ABC 7 spoke with two runners, Claire Hindman and her fiancée Christian Noyola, about their experiences.
"The heat definitely threw me off a bit," Hindman said, with Noyola adding, "Unfortunately, I was suffering a lot honestly."
As for onlooker Eric Metoyer, he waited for his wife at the finish line when he heard the call for paramedics several times. Runner Jessica Metoyer said, "Last year, I didn't participate in the race, but I don't think it was this hot."
Investigators Urge People to Seek Proper Treatment
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Over 7,500 people participated in the marathon.
As of November 9, Cottage Health reported that a total of 27 marathon runners had arrived at the Santa Barbara and Goleta emergency rooms. According to a statement from them, 24 patients were treated and discharged that morning.
The three left were in stable condition.
Police are urging any participants who feel ill to seek proper medical attention from healthcare professionals. They are asking anyone to contact authorities if they have information on the event, or if anyone else has unusual symptoms.
"We hope that each of the participants return to their family and friends safely, but at this moment we do not have any additional information," Monico said.
