HALF marathon runners were left wading through waist-high floodwater after a race went ahead despite torrential rain.
Shocking footage from the Racefaster Half Marathon in Paramus, New Jersey, showed competitors battling through huge pools of murky water on Sunday.
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Some runners could be seen clinging to metal railings as they attempted to make their way through flooded sections of the course.
The 13.1-mile event had originally been due to start at 8am before organisers pushed it back two hours because of the dreadful conditions.
But the race still went ahead as flash flood alerts were issued in the area, with the decision drawing criticism from participants.
Former winner of the US reality TV show The Bachelorette, Zac Clark, was among those taking part, filming himself as he made his way through the water.
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He said in the clip: “Bro, this is nuts,” before later revealing he finished in 1hr 40min 42sec and came third in his age group.
Paramus was hammered by almost five inches of rain, with National Weather Service figures showing 4.92 inches fell in the town.
The downpour caused widespread problems across Bergen County, with roads closed and motorists needing to be rescued from floodwater.
Around 250 runners are reported to have completed the race despite the treacherous conditions.
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One runner who had been due to take part blasted the decision to continue, saying moving the start from 8am to 10am was “clearly the wrong decision”.
Race organisers had advertised the event as a “flat and fast” course designed for runners chasing personal bests – although Sunday’s extraordinary conditions proved anything but straightforward.
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