Many runners succumb to heat on Marathon Monday

BOSTON (WHDH) -- Boston Marathon runners dealt with record heat on Monday, forcing many to slow their pace, and even drop out.

Runners slumped on the ground at the finish line, and many told 7News they lost steam after just a few miles.

So many people needed medical assistance that there was a logjam of wheel chairs in front of the medical tent.

It was estimated about 4,000 runners decided to sit this race out and defer until next year. Seventy-five runners had to be transported to area hospitals, many with heat-related exhaustion and dehydration. An estimated 2,200 runners needed some kind of assistance this year, which was twice the amount as last year.

“No, not yet. They’re bringing them in by bus loads obviously. It will probably be one of our highest dropout rates of the last 20 years. But we don’t know just yet,” said David McGillivray, Boston Athletic Association.

“It was hot. I am from the Midwest and we do not train in weather like this. It was good, I just took it steady and slow,” said Corine Johnson, a runner from Minnesota.

Many seasoned runners heeded the BAA's warning and slowed their pace.

"This was a PW; a personal worst for me," one marathoner said.

For the first time in Boston Marathon history, no reporters or cameras were allowed inside the medical tent.

'It was hot. I struggled at the end, but Boston's great and I'd do it again," said Jerry Gannullo, a marathoner.

Poland Spring brought in 28,000 water bottles. In total, 53,000 were consumed during the marathon.

(Copyright (c) 2012 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)