MEDIC Put On Standby During Charity Bike Race In Uptown

It seemed the heat and how to stay hydrated was a top concern Saturday.

Many of the 30,000 fans who came out to the 6th Annual Criterium had waters in hand including Lisa Miller who was here from Pittsburgh to watch her daughter race.

“You bring cases of water and Gatorade when you come to the race,” Miller said.

They spent the evening watching 200 cyclists zip along the Tryon Street course with tight 90 degree turns. But it’s the 90 degree plus temperatures that made MEDIC decide its crews needed to be Uptown too.

MEDIC says dehydration was a big concern. They made sure to have two ambulances, two bike teams and two ATV type crews station in Uptown. Their main tools for the day were ice packs, ready for folks who overheated.

The women raced for 25 miles riding at speeds of roughly 25 miles per hour. Amy McGuire came down from Boston to race. “We’ve been hydrating all day and hanging out in air conditioning. It [heat] is a big factor for sure,” McGuire said.

In the end the heat and their exertion zapped many of them. One racer said she got overheated and dizzy at one point and had to stop to grab a drink.

But MEDIC said they did not have to respond to any heat-related emergencies on Saturday. They said people need to drink a lot of fluids, stay away from alcohol and stay inside if you can during the hottest part of the day. Also, keep an eye on elderly people and children, because they are the most vulnerable to the heat.