Athletes will have to compete with the heat at this year’s CrossFit Games

MADISON, Wis. — The CrossFit Games are scheduled to kick off Wednesday in temperatures over 90 degrees and while most events will take place indoors some athletes will have to battle it out in the heat.

600 athletes from countries all over the world will compete in a series of surprise athletic events for a chance to win the title “Fittest on Earth”.

Crossfit Medical Director Dr. Michael Ray said in preparation for the high temperatures they’ve advised athletes to get acclimated to the weather early and not overdo it during warmups.

“People who deal best with heat have been exposed to hot conditions and in our sport before difficult workouts,” Ray said. “If you start with a normal body temperature you have a longer way to go until you’re sort of in the potential danger zone for heat illness.”

Ray also said CrossFit medical teams are prepared to handle any heat illnesses that come up.

“If we notice decreasing performance, if we notice that somebody is becoming ataxic, starting to stumble around or have difficulty performing the movements our medical team is going to be watching that person very closely,” he said

The games will also have numerous water stations and ice baths available for athletes. 

However it’s not just athletes that need to be mindful of the heat, the CrossFit games also include a number of spectator events that allow attendees to participate in workouts.

In a statement to News 3, Public Health Madison and Dane County advised people to wear loose, lightweight, and light colored clothing.

Emphasizing the importance of staying hydrated it read, “don’t wait until you’re thirsty to have a drink of water.”

PHMDC recommends 2 to 4 cups of water every hour while working or exercising outside.

CrossFit representatives said they are expecting 10 thousand fans a day to make their way to the Alliant Energy Center to attend the games this week.

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