Rules of Competition

Updated March 3, 2025

New York Road Runners ("NYRR") events are organized and operated under the rules and regulations of certain athletic governing bodies with which participants must comply. The United Airlines NYC Half, the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, and the TCS New York City Marathon are organized and operated under the rules and regulations of World Athletics. World Para Athletics is the governing body for the Wheelchair Division in the TCS New York City Marathon and the United Airlines NYC Half. All other NYRR races are organized and operated under the rules and regulations of USA Track & Field (“USATF”) (collectively with World Athletics and World Para Athletics, the “Governing Bodies”)

Participants must also comply with these Rules of Competition (including the Permitted and Prohibited Items List), NYRR’s Code of Conduct, and NYRR’s Run Clean Policy, and applicable city, state, and federal laws and regulations (including New York City Parks & Recreation Rules, which are incorporated herein).

Safety

EVENT OFFICIALS: All participants must follow the instructions of NYRR staff and volunteers, and other event officials., Participants must cease participating in any event if ordered to do so by event officials, medical staff, or any applicable governmental authority, including firefighters and law enforcement.

EVENT REGISTRATION: All participants must provide accurate information, including age, gender, and emergency contact information, when registering for an event. Participants may not change or add a team affiliation after an event has started. Rules governing club teams can be found on NYRRʼs website.

SPORTSMANSHIP: Any participant who exhibits unsportsmanlike conduct or uses rude or offensive language may be disqualified. Unsportsmanlike conduct includes, without limitation, providing false or misleading information on an event application, any action that goes against these Rules of Competition, NYRR’s Code of Conduct, or any other conduct that in the opinion of NYRR is unethical, unfair, abusive, offensive, harassing, disrespectful, harmful, or illegal.

RACE NUMBER/BIB: The official participant race bib, displays the participant’s race number and contains the B-Tag timing device (the “Official Race Bib”), and must be worn on the front of the participant’s outermost garment with the race number always fully visible. To ensure an accurate time, participants should wear the Official Race Bib on their chest and should not fold or wrinkle the bib or cover it with a jacket, runner belt, water bottle, or any other item. Participants who run the race without their Official Race Bib properly attached and displayed may not have their finish time and split times recorded, may not be listed in the results, and/or may not receive credit for finishing the race. If a participant’s Official Race Bib is lost on the course, the participants must report it to an event official immediately after the race. Race credit may be provided after verification that the participant’s time was recorded at the start and that the participant completed the race.

NON-TRANSFERRABLE BIB: Race numbers and Official Race Bibs are assigned by NYRR to each participant and may not be transferred, reproduced, replicated, or modified under any circumstance. Participants may not: 1) give or sell their Official Race Bib to another person; 2) receive, purchase, or participate with an Official Race Bib from another person; 3) modify or make copies or reproductions/replications of their Official Race Bib for any purpose (or allow another to do so); 4) participate with more than one Official Race Bib (i.e., a participant cannot participate in an NYRR race with both their own Official Race Bib and another participant’s Official Race Bib); and/or 5) participate with an unofficial race number or bib (i.e., a number or bib that was not assigned to the participant by NYRR). Attempting to do any of the foregoing is prohibited and any person found violating these rules will be subject to penalties, including but not limited to disqualification and a suspension or ban from subsequent NYRR events.

NON-REFUNDABLE: Entry fees are non-refundable and may not be deferred or transferred.

The Start

START CORRALS: Participants are responsible for arriving at the start corrals assigned to them on their Official Race Bibs, and entering at the designated corral entry points before the corral closing times. Participants may move to a slower corral but may not move to a faster corral. Any participant who climbs over a corral barricade or otherwise enters a corral improperly may be disqualified. For participant safety, once a corral is closed for entry, late-arriving participants must start in the last corral. NYRR reserves the right to restrict participants from starting late for safety reasons. Participants must follow the instructions of event officials when entering corrals. Anyone who is seen urinating or defecating in a corral may be disqualified and/or suspended from NYRR events.

RACE START: Races will be started by an air horn unless otherwise noted. Participants must be behind the start line at the start of the race and must follow the instructions of the race- start official. If a race features a staggered start, corrals will be released at regular intervals, with the fastest corral (usually, corral AA or A) starting at the first start horn, followed by an additional start horn for subsequent corrals.

Timing

OFFICIAL TIME: Participants’ official time (net) is recorded by NYRR’s timing system which begins when a participant crosses the start line and ends when a participant crosses the finish line (“Official Finish Time”). The Official Finish Time is used to determine the order of finishers, age-group award winners, and certain prize money categories as listed on the NYRR Prize Money webpage—except the top finisher awards, which are determined by gun time (the time from the starting horn until the runner crosses the finish line). Timing mats at the start line will be removed after the last corral starts the race. More information about race timelines can be found in the NYRR Time Cutoff Policy and on the applicable race’s website. After the start has closed, net times will not be recorded and times will be calculated from the time of the start horn.

The Course

COURSE MARKING: NYRR events (except for some youth races) are conducted on courses certified by USATF and/or World Athletics. Participants must always stay within course boundaries. The course is typically marked by barriers, traffic cones, delineation, and/or other markings. Participants must recognize and follow event signage and symbols relating to the course, directions, and facilities, and must follow the instructions of course marshals and event officials. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

ASSISTANCE: Participants must follow the applicable Governing Bodies’ rules against receiving assistance. No participant may allow an unregistered or unauthorized person onto the course. Pacing in races is prohibited, unless the pacer is officially registered for and participating in the same race (such as an official NYRR pacer). Unofficial pacers or other unregistered or unauthorized persons are not permitted on the course, nor are they permitted to assist a participant from off of the course. A participant who receives assistance, other than helping that participant to recover to a standing position, during an event from anyone other than medical personnel or other official event personnel or volunteers, may be disqualified.

HYDRATION: Participants may carry fluid containers that are one liter or less (1) in hydration belts, (2) in the front pockets of hydration vests (not in a back bladder), or (3) by hand, but participants may not carry fluid containers in backpacks or other types of hydration bladders or containers on their backs. There are fluid stations along the course for participants to hydrate with water, and depending on the race, sports beverages. Volunteers at the fluid stations are authorized to assist participants in getting water and, when available, sports beverages.

MOBILE PHONES, CAMERAS, AND CONTENT CAPTURE: Athletes in the invited professional fields of NYRR races must follow the applicable Governing Bodies’ prohibitions against the use of mobile phones, cameras, video recorders, radios, radio transmitters, and similar devices. For all other race participants, NYRR discourages the use of any such devices on course. If a participant uses a camera/video camera other than a mobile phone, it must be no larger than a GoPro or similarly sized compact camera, and when using such device, the participant must hold it directly in their hand or have it attached directly to their head or torso. “Selfie” sticks, tripods, or similar items are strictly prohibited. Any participant who uses such device in a manner that poses a safety hazard on the course or interferes with another participant’s race may be disqualified and suspended from participating in subsequent NYRR events. Participants may only use any content they capture for personal, non-commercial use, unless they have applied for and been granted a written license by NYRR for other use. Participants may not use such content in advertising or sell or license it or otherwise collect fees or receive any money for it. NYRR will not be liable for any third-party claims or incidental, consequential or other damages arising out of the use of content captured by or for participants. Participants are not allowed to use captured content, including for personal use posted to social media or any video hosting platform, that may violate the rights held by existing NYRR sponsors and/or partners. No participant may allow another person onto the race course (i.e. beyond the public access space next to the course) to photograph, film, or otherwise record them or others without a written license agreement from NYRR.

COURSE COMPLETION: Participants who do not complete the entire course will be disqualified. Participants with missing or irregular split times at official timing checkpoints will be reviewed and may be disqualified. If a participant must leave the course, they can only rejoin the course at the point at which they exited. Any participant who, after leaving the course, rejoins the race at another point in the course may be disqualified.

TIME LIMIT: In the interest of safety, and to allow streets and park drives to reopen as scheduled, each race has a time limit as set out in the NYRR Time Cutoff Policy. Fluid stations and other race amenities may not be available to participants once a race course closes. After a race course closes, participants may be instructed to move to the sidewalks or board the sweep bus. Participants on the sweep bus may not cross the finish line and will not receive 9+1 credit for the race or be included in the results. Those completing the race after the course officially closes may not be recorded as official finishers; however they can contact NYRR’s Runner Services team to request credit for the race.

Prohibited Items

For a full list of prohibited items for all NYRR events and race venues, please visit the Prohibited Items webpage.

Violation of Rules of Competition

All violations of the Rules of Competition will be referred to the NYRR Rules Committee, who will review the violation and determine a resolution taking into consideration all relevant facts and circumstances.

The participant will receive a written notice of the determination from the NYRR Rules Committee. Any information demonstrating why the NYRR Rules Committee should make a different determination must be submitted within seven days of the date of the written notice.

Penalties

The Rules Committee reserves the right to consider all facts and circumstances when reviewing a violation, including repeat offenses, and apply any penalties it deems appropriate in its sole discretion. The following penalties are guidelines only.

COURSE CUTTING: Any person found to have failed to cross all official timing checkpoints may be disqualified from official results and suspended from subsequent NYRR events.

TRANSFER OF RACE NUMBER/BIB: Any person found to have (1) reproduced, replicated, modified, transferred, bought or sold a race number or bib to an NYRR event (or attempted any of the foregoing actions); (2) permitted any other individual to wear the race number or bib assigned to them; or (3) worn a race number or bib not assigned to them by NYRR, will be disqualified and suspended from subsequent NYRR events.

UNAUTHORIZED CONTENT CAPTURE: Any person found to have violated NYRR’s Mobile Phone, Cameras, and Content Capture policy above may be disqualified and suspended from subsequent NYRR events and may be subject to the payment of licensing fees. 

UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS: Any registered participant who permits an unregistered person on the course for any part of the event for any purpose (including but not limited to filming, content capture, advertising, coaching, pacing, or other assistance [see Assistance Rule above]) may be disqualified and suspended from participating in subsequent NYRR events.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT: Any person who conducts themselves in an unsportsmanlike manner before, during or after an NYRR event, including at the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub, may be disqualified and suspended from participating in future NYRR events.

REFUSE TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS: Any participant who refuses to follow the instructions of an event official may be disqualified and suspended from participating in future NYRR events.

PUBLIC URINATION/DEFECATION: Any participant who urinates and/or defecates in public may be disqualified and suspended from participating in future NYRR events.

OTHER VIOLATIONS: In addition to the violations highlighted above, the Rules Committee may assess penalties for any other violations not specified in these Rules of Competition based on all relevant facts and circumstances. Individuals disqualified from a race will be removed from the race results and may be suspended or 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 rules.

Additional Rules for Athletes with Disabilities (“AWD”) Participants

Additional Safety Rules for Handcycle Participants:

Handcycles with motors or foot pedals are not permitted. No additional gear-crank, or chain-powered cycling equipment may be used by participants, including foot- powered recumbent bikes, tricycles, or bicycles.

Any participant using a handcycle must always wear a helmet while in the handcycle.

Any participant using a handcycle must have an orange visibility flag on a 5’ to 6’ flexible pole always attached to the handcycle by a bracket while on the event course.

Any participant using a handcycle must always stay at least 25 meters behind the pacing vehicle.

Additional Information for Pushrim Participants:

Any participant using a pushrim wheelchair must always wear a helmet while in the racing wheelchair.