Guide and Support Runners for Athletes with Disabilities

A Guide or Support Runner is a person who provides on-course support to athletes with visual, physical, or intellectual disabilities at New York Road Runners races.

• To be eligible for a Guide or Support Runner, athletes must possess a disability or permanent condition that is recognized under the Americans with Disabilities Act and require a reasonable accommodation to participate in New York Road Runners Events.
• New York Road Runners does not match, assign, or provide Guide or Support Runners.
• Athletes who are eligible to be accompanied by a Guide or Support Runner are responsible for selecting a Guide or Support Runner that best meets their individual needs on course.
• Registered Guide and Support Runners are not scored, do not receive an official finishing time, and are not eligible for race or volunteer credit through the 9+1 program. There are no costs to serve as an approved Guide or Support Runners.
• PLEASE NOTE: Athletes that have paid and registered to participate in an event and are subsequently selected by another athlete to serve as their guide or support runner can elect to receive an official time, score, and or 9+1 credit for their participation.

Guide Runner

A Guide Runner is a person who provides verbal cues and navigation support to an athlete with a visual disability on-course.

Guide Selection

A runner with a visual disability who requires a guide to participate in a New York Road Runners (“NYRR”) event must submit a request as detailed below.

• It is the registered athlete’s responsibility to select a guide who can perform all guide responsibilities at the athlete’s goal race pace.
• It is expected that an athlete selects a guide with whom they train and race regularly.

Guide Registration Procedures

• During the registration process for New York Road Runners events, all athletes must indicate if they have a visual disability and require a guide.
• Athletes who indicate that they have a visual disability and require a guide will receive an email from NYRR with information regarding next steps for guide registration for the event. This process will involve NYRR collecting contact information for the guide.
• NYRR will send guides an email with a registration link and deadline to register; guides must register by the deadline provided in the email to participate in the event.
• If a registered athlete is selected to serve as another athlete’s guide, the registered athlete must also follow the guide registration process for an assigned guide race bib.
• After the deadline, any athlete whose guide did not timely register through NYRR will be given the option to participate alone, or to cancel their entry. (A refund will not be provided.)
• Guide registration and participation is contingent upon the athlete’s participation.

Guide Race Bib

• Guides must wear the guide-specific race bib provided by NYRR. Guides are required to pick up their race materials, including the race bib at bib pick-up for each NYRR event.

Guide Bags

• Guides may check their NYRR provided clear bag that is provided to all registered participants.

Guide Responsibilities/Rules of Competition on the Course

• The method of guidance is the choice of the athlete, with certain limitations listed below. Some of the most common methods of guidance are using a tether, or verbal directions, instructions, or cues.
• Guides must focus on the athlete they are guiding and stay with the athlete on the course.
• Guides must cross the finish line within 5 seconds of their athletes. Guides that fail to stay with their athletes on course may result in suspension from future NYRR races.
• Guides may not push, pull, or slingshot the athlete forward. The athlete may only bear weight on the guide temporarily to regain balance if necessary.
• Guides may not block or interfere with the forward progression of other race participants.
• Guides must advise their athlete to stay to the side of the road when approached from behind by an official vehicle or other participants.   
• Guides may not use rollerblades, a bicycle, or other mechanical means of transport.
• Guides are permitted to hand fluids to athletes at the designated fluid stations.  
• If a guide is unable to finish an event with their athlete, the guide must drop-out and exit the course. If a guide drops out, the athlete may continue the race if they can do so safely. If an athlete drops out, their guide must also immediately exit the race with the athlete.

 Support Runner

A support runner is a person who provides verbal instructions, directions, and/or cues that support orientation and/or decision making for an athlete with a physical or intellectual disability.

Support Runner Selection

• It is the registered athlete’s responsibility to select a support runner who can perform all support responsibilities at the athlete’s goal race pace.
• It is expected that an athlete selects a support runner with whom they regularly train and race.
• Support runners will be approved as a reasonable accommodation in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).

Support Runner Registration Procedures

During the registration process for New York Road Runners events, athletes must indicate if they have a physical or intellectual disability that requires a support runner. Athletes who indicate the need for a support runner, will receive an email from NYRR with information for support runner registration for the event. This process will involve NYRR collecting contact information for the support runner. Support runners must register by the deadline provided. If a registered athlete is selected to serve as a support runner, the registered athlete must also follow the registration process for a support runner assigned race bib.

• NYRR will send support runners an email with a registration link and a deadline to register; support must register by the deadline provided in the email to participate in the event.
• After the deadline, any athlete whose support runner did not timely register through NYRR will be given the option to participate alone, or to cancel their entry. (A refund will not be provided.)
• Support runners’ registration and participation is contingent upon their athletes’ participation.

Support Runner Race Bib

• Support runners must wear the race bib provided by NYRR. Support runners are required to pick up their race materials, including the race bib at bib pick-up for each NYRR event.

Support Runner Bags

• Support runners may check an NYRR provided clear bag.  

Support Runner Responsibilities/Rules of Competition on the Course

• Support runners must focus on the athlete that they are accompanying and stay with the athlete on course.
• Support runners may not push, pull, or slingshot athletes forward. Athletes may only bear weight on their support runner temporarily to regain balance if necessary. Athletes and support runners may not have sustained physical contact during the race.
• Support runners cross the finish line with (never ahead of) their athlete and failure to do so may result in suspension from future NYRR races.
• Support runners may not block or interfere with the forward progression of other race participants.
• Support runners must advise their athlete to stay to the side of the road when approached from behind by an official vehicle or other participants.
• Support runners may not use rollerblades, a bicycle, or other mechanical means of transport.
• Support runners are permitted to hand fluids to athletes at the designated fluid stations.
• Support runners may assist athletes to regain footing and/or orientation.
• If a support runner is unable to finish an event with their athlete, the support runner must drop-out and exit the course. If a support runner drops out, the athlete may continue the race if they can do so safely. If an athlete drops out, their support runner must also immediately exit the race with the athlete.

Requesting a Guide or Support Runner

Any athlete with a disability who requires the assistance of a guide or support runner at an NYRR race must submit an accommodation request directly to NYRR for evaluation by NYRR’s Accessibility Team. Each request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine a reasonable accommodation in accordance with the ADA.

Submit a request to accessibility@nyrr.org.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Athletes, Guides or Support Runner who violate these and other race rules or procedures may be removed from the event course, disqualified from official results, and/or suspended from subsequent NYRR events.