New York Road Runners events are organized and directed under USA Track & Field (“USATF”) rules and regulations. Entrants must also comply with City of New York Parks & Recreation and NYRR rules and regulations.
Safety
Event Officials: All participants must follow the instructions of event officials (NYRR staff and volunteers). For participants’ safety, no skates, strollers (including running strollers), or animals are permitted. Costumes covering the face, or any non-formfitting bulky outfit extending beyond the perimeter of the body, are not permitted.
NYRR reserves the right to change the details of the event, including delaying, canceling, or suspending the race due to inclement weather or other potential safety risks. Participants must retire at once from the race if ordered to do so by event officials, medical staff, or any governmental authority, including firefighters and police officers.
Sportsmanship: Any participant who conducts him- or herself in an unsportsmanlike manner or who is offensive in action or language to event officials, other participants, volunteers, or spectators may be disqualified. Protests concerning the conduct of participants will be accepted for up to 24 hours after the posting of results by contacting an event official or contacting
NYRR Runner Services.
Participant Entry and Race Number (Bib)
Event Application: All participants must provide accurate information, including age, gender, and emergency contact information, when filling out the event application. A participant may not change or add a team affiliation after an event has started.
Race Number: Your official participant race number (bib) must be fully visible at all times and worn on the front of your torso. The timing device (B-Tag) is attached to the back of your race number; in order to ensure an accurate time, please do not fold or wrinkle the race number or cover it with a jacket, runner belt, water bottle, or any other item. Participants who run the race without their number properly attached and displayed risk not having their finish time and split times recorded, not being listed in the results, and/or not receiving 9+1 credit for finishing the race. If your race number is lost on the course, please report it to an event official after the race. Only after verifying that your time was recorded at the start and that you completed the race will 9+1 credit be provided.
No Transfer Permitted: Race numbers are non-transferable; you cannot give or sell your number or tag to another person or participate with an unofficial race number or tag. A participant who does not wear his or her assigned race number and tag, or who is found to have transferred, bought, or sold entry into an NYRR event or otherwise permitted any other individual to wear his or her race number, will be disqualified and suspended from subsequent NYRR events.
No Refunds: Entry fees are non-refundable and may not be deferred or transferred.
Read more about
Race Procedures.
The Start
Start Corrals: Participants are responsible for arriving at the start corrals assigned to them, based on their
best pace, and entering at the designated corral entry points before the corral closing times. Any participant who climbs over a barricade or otherwise enters improperly may be disqualified. For participant safety, once a corral is closed for entry, late-arriving participants must report to the last corral. Please follow the instructions of event officials when entering corrals. In accordance with City of New York Parks & Recreation rules, please use only the toilet facilities provided.
Race Start: The race will be started by an air horn unless otherwise noted. All participants must be behind the starting line at the start of the race and must follow the instructions of the race starter.
Timing
Official Times: Your official (net) finish time is recorded by the timing system from when you cross the starting line to when you cross the finish line. This time determines the order of finish and age-group award winners—except the top finisher awards, which will be determined by gun time (the time from the starting horn until the runner crosses the finish line). Start timing mats will be removed 10 minutes after the start of the race unless the size of the field warrants keeping the start open longer. After the start has closed, net times will not be recorded and times will be calculated from the time of the start horn. If a runner starts after the timing mats have been removed, no start time will be added.
The Course
Course Marking: NYRR events (except for kids’ races) are conducted on USATF-certified courses. Participants must stay within course boundaries, as designated by barriers, traffic cones, delineation, and/or other markings, at all times; must recognize and understand event signage and symbols relating to the course, directions, and facilities; and must follow the instructions of course marshals. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. In accordance with City of New York Parks & Recreation rules, please use only the toilet facilities provided.
Course Monitoring: If you have not completed the entire course, do not cross the finish line or you will risk disqualification. Participants with missing or irregular split times at official timing checkpoints will be reviewed and may be disqualified. If you must leave the course, rejoin it only at the point at which you exited. No participant, after leaving the course, will be allowed to rejoin the race either for the purpose of gaining a place or to pace or assist another competitor.
Assistance: Unofficial pacers or other unregistered participants are not permitted. (This does not apply to officially designated pacers.) A participant who receives assistance during an event from anyone other than official medical personnel may be disqualified.
Bandits: No individual who is not officially registered may join the event or accompany any participant in the event. Any person without an official race will be directed to leave the course immediately.
The Finish
Time Limit: In the interest of safety, and to allow streets and park drives to reopen as scheduled, race courses will remain open to all participants who are able to maintain a 13:45-per-mile pace (based on the time when the last runner crosses the start line). Those participants who are not able to maintain this pace should be aware that fluid stations and other course amenities may not be available, and participants in races staged on city streets may be asked to move to the sidewalks. Late participants will be able to cross the finish line, but they are not guaranteed to be timed and recorded as official finishers. However, they can contact our
Race Scoring team to request 9+1 TCS New York City Marathon qualifying credit for the race.
Prohibited Items
The following items are prohibited from all NYRR events and race venues:
- A weapon of any kind, including firearms, knives, Mace, etc.
- Any dangerous item or “dual-use” item that could be considered dangerous, including hammers, saws, sharp objects, umbrellas, etc.
- Flammable liquids, fuels, fireworks, toxic chemicals, and explosives
- Large packages, coolers, tents, and lean-tos
- Duvets, sleeping bags, and large blankets or comforters
- Alcoholic beverages and illegal substances of any kind
- Unmanned aerial devices, drones, survey balloons, photography mini-copters, and any flying device with an on/off switch.
- Opaque trash bags and any non-transparent plastic bags (Clear trash bags are allowed.)
- Animals/pets (except service animals to aid a person with a disability; if you have questions, contact nyrrawdteam@nyrr.org)
- Folding chairs, camp chairs, and tables of any kind
- Glass containers
- Containers of liquid larger than one liter
- Strollers
- Suitcases and rolling bags
- Backpacks and any bags other than the clear bag check bag
- Weight vests and any vests with multiple pockets, especially those that can be used as a water reservoir
- Costumes that cover the face and any bulky outfits that extend beyond the perimeter of the body (Form-fitting outfits are allowed.)
- Props, including flag poles, sporting equipment, military and fire gear, and signs larger than 11”x17”
- Selfie-sticks and any camera mount or rig that isn’t attached directly to the head or torso
Violation of Rules of Competition
If a violation of the Rules of Competition is alleged to have occurred by an Event Official, appropriate information will be forwarded to the Event Manager, who will document the infraction. An initial determination of the nature of the violation will be made and referred to the NYRR Rules Committee, who will review the infraction and determine a resolution.
The participant(s) involved will receive written notice of the initial determination within 30 days of the event. The participant will have an opportunity to respond with any additional clarification within 14 days of the date of the initial written notice.
Penalties
Failure to cross all official timing checkpoints/course cutting: May result in disqualification from official results, suspension from subsequent NYRR events for up to one year or suspension from the following year’s event.
Transfer of race number: Any registered participant found to have transferred, bought or sold entry into an NYRR event or otherwise permits any other individual to wear the race number assigned to them will be disqualified and suspended from subsequent NYRR events for up to one year or suspended from the following year’s event.
Unauthorized Assistance: Any registered participant who receives unauthorized assistance may be disqualified. This includes any registered participant who permits an unregistered runner to run with them for any part of the event.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Any customer who conducts themselves in an unsportsmanlike manner, including, without limitation, the providing of false or misleading information on their event application may be disqualified or prohibited from participating in future NYRR events.
Instructions of Event Official: Any registered participant who refuses to follow the instructions of an Event Official may be disqualified.
Public Urination: Any registered participant who urinates/defecates in public will be disqualified and risks Police summons.
Other Violations: The Rules Committee will assess penalties for any violations not specifically addressed taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances. In addition, the Rules Committee reserves the right to apply other penalties, based on the circumstances, especially for repeat offenders.
Individuals disqualified from a race will be removed from the race results and may be barred from future NYRR events. NYRR reserves the right to reject any entry and to disqualify and bar any individual from any NYRR event. This rejection/disqualification may be based on, but is not limited to, the violation of the aforementioned rules.
