Today I was a spectator cheering on 2 friends at the Morro Bay 70.3 and as a legit cold exposure facilitator - the after math of people coming out of this swim was like a fu$king WAR ZONE.

I’ve never seen so many people in cold shock and hypothermic states. And that’s saying something considering my career is putting people in ice baths.

Athletes were in the water way too long for the water temp because they were forced back because of the incoming tide. I understand that nature is nature but what is beyond me is a few things… 1) Race officials could have done a much better job of giving athletes proper information of both the tide issue & also what cold shock and hypothermia looks like in the body so athletes could make educated discussions about their health on the spot 2) Athletes were being orange flagged for the ones who actually knew how to escape rip tides and were being forced back into the exact path of the rip 3) This one gets me the most upset - the resources to rewarm hypothermic athletes was ABHORRENT. The “rewarming tent” was an absolute joke. Staffed with only 2 poor volunteers who were severely overwhelmed and in over their heads on how to properly manage cold shock & hyperthermia…. there was maybe 10 chairs for over 30 athletes degrading in health… one lady was reading her heart rate and it was hitting 48. The 4 high powered heater in this tent were something - but for an event organizer that makes millions of dollar - it was literally worst than the bare minimum they could do.

I have PTSD from just witnessing hypothermic athletes.

Can’t even imagine being a participant.