Bergen County Half Marathon Sparks Backlash After ‘Bachelorette’ Star Shows Runners Wading Through Waist-Deep Floodwaters
photos courtesy of Screen grabs and Facebook posts
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Race organizers are facing intense criticism from participants and safety experts after runners were forced to wade through waist-high floodwaters during the Racefaster Half Marathon on Sunday morning, September 13.
Torrential downpours battered North Jersey, sending flash floods pouring across Saddle River County Park and submerging key stretches of the 13.1-mile course along bridges in Paramus and Fair Lawn.
‘Bachelorette’ Contestant Zac Clark Shares Shocking Video
The severity of the conditions came to light when Zac Clark, contestant on Season 16 of The Bachelorette, shared video footage from the course.
In the clip, runners can be seen pushing through murky, waist-deep water near Red Mill Road.
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“Bro, this is nuts,” Clark remarked as he waded through the flooded pathway.
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Despite the dangerous conditions, Clark completed the race with a time of 1:40:42, placing third in his age group.
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Captioning his social media clip, he wrote: “Many rivers were crossed.”
Runners and Safety Experts Blast Organizers
The decision to allow the half marathon to proceed as major roadways and highways flooded across Bergen County triggered immediate criticism online.
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Claire Holt, a race participant, posted on Instagram: “Just finished this, and jokes and perseverance aside, the organizers 100% needed to call this race. So unsafe and I hope no one got hurt.”
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Emily Smolenski, another runner, highlighted the hazards near low-lying bridges: “Thankfully I was in a group each time I went under those bridges otherwise I wouldn’t have gone through. I also hope everyone stayed safe.”
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Jeff Le, a race director and search-and-rescue swiftwater technician, condemned the conditions: “Wow, as a race director and SAR swiftwater tech this is extremely negligent and dangerous. Hard no even for a trail race. Hope everyone stayed safe.”
Widespread Regional Flooding Impact
The race unfolded as a powerful storm system dumped heavy rain across North Jersey, stranding motorists, submerging roads, and closing portions of major highways including Route 17 and Route 208.
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The race promoter has a sketchy reputation….