ABC Reality TV Personality Caught in Flood Water While Running Half Marathon

Former Bachelorette star Zac Clark found himself navigating more than just a challenging course during a recent half marathon in New Jersey.

Clark, who appeared on Season 16 of the ABC dating series, shared video from Sunday’s Racefaster Half Marathon in Paramus, New Jersey, as heavy flooding created dangerous conditions along parts of the route.

In the footage, Clark is shirtless while walking through water with other runners. Several participants can be seen holding onto railings as they carefully make their way through a flooded underpass.

“Bro, this is nuts!” Clark said in the video while showing the conditions around him.

The former reality TV star later revealed that he completed the race despite the challenging conditions.

In an Instagram caption, he wrote, “Checking in from the Paramus Racefaster Half Marathon this morning. 1:40:42 on the chip….many rivers were crossed. Third in age group.”

Clark also addressed the experience in a follow-up video, acknowledging the unusual circumstances surrounding the race.

“Yesterday was one of the craziest days of my life and clearly created a lot of energy in the running community,” he wrote. “Ultimately I made a personal decision to compete in the race because that is how I am wired.”

“Proud of the effort as always, hope everyone is safe and pray that some valuable lessons were learned,” Clark added. “Keep Going. NYC in 7 Weeks.”

Clark has remained active in the running community and has previously competed in major races, including the New York City Marathon and Boston Marathon. He also frequently shares posts about fitness and his recovery from substance abuse.

Clark rose to fame on The Bachelorette in 2020, competing for Tayshia Adams’ heart. He and Adams became engaged during the finale but later ended their relationship.

Other runners reportedly questioned why the event continued despite the flooding. News 12 New Jersey spoke with runner Marijana Dinic, who described the water as reaching extremely high levels.

“The flood was up to here,” Dinic said while gesturing toward her waist and chest. “I was grabbing this woman next to me, and she grabbed me and was holding me.”

Dinic also criticized how the race was handled, saying, “It should have been cancelled. It was not organized properly, I feel.”