Crews Clear Branches Off 'Red, White and Boom' Track in Mpls

The early morning storms were an unwelcome wake-up call for people across the Metro, especially the ones planning Red White and Boom which starts Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

"We were actually a little bit concerned that we were going to have issues with the run, especially having 500 runners coming across the bridge. We want to make sure everyone doesn't trip and fall," said Event Coordinator Alice Widstrand.

Fierce winds hit downtown Minneapolis Tuesday morning, blowing down a large tree at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park, the starting point for the event's Hot Dam 5K.

"That's our main area for our vendors as well as the start line. Then there were branches and branches actually flew from Father Hennepin Bluffs and were on the bridge all the way down," Widstrand said.

City crews quickly cleared the area and the race will go on as planned. But this is not the first hurdle organizers have had to clear.

"At first we thought it was going to storm, and then all of the sudden the heat index started to increase and every day we've been watching it," Widstrand said.

For Tuesday night's 5K, water will be provided at every pit stop and medics will be on hand. There will also be two spray fans for runners.

Because a dangerously high heat index is projected, the half marathon planned for Wednesday morning has been shortened to a 5 mile run.

Click here to learn more about Red White and Boom. Click here for the new Half Marathon course map.