Code of Conduct

Updated February 27, 2024

At all New York Road Runners (“NYRR”) events, participants should conduct themselves in a courteous manner, respect all fellow participants, volunteers, event staff, spectators, and members of the community, and follow the Rules of Competition.

Volunteers should also follow the NYRR Volunteer Guidelines.

Proper race etiquette is required at all times, including being aware of your surroundings and of announcements and instructions from event officials.

Participant COVID-19 Safety
For information about COVID-19 safety and protocols, please visit our Safety Procedures at NYRR Races page.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Runners may not engage in any verbal, physical, or other misconduct that is abusive, harassing, insulting, or offensive, even if it does not fall within the prohibitions that are outlined in NYRR’s Rules of Competition. Any participant who conducts themselves in an unsportsmanlike manner, or who exhibits offensive behavior or language to event officials, NYRR staff, and/or volunteers may be disqualified or subject to other appropriate penalties in the sole discretion of NYRR. Unsportsmanlike conduct includes, without limitation, the provision of false or misleading information on an event application, or any other conduct that in the opinion of NYRR is unethical, unfair, abusive, offensive, harassing, disrespectful, harmful, or illegal.

Runners should be respectfully quiet during the pre-race announcements and during the playing of the national anthem.

Start
Please give yourself enough time to pick up your race number and enter your corral. Enter only the corral you are assigned to or a slower one.

No Smoking or Vaping
No smoking, vaping, or use of electronic smoking devices, tobacco products, or marijuana products in the Start Corrals, on the Course, or in the Finish area or within 1,000 feet of the Start Corrals, the Course, or the Finish area.

Headphones and Mobile Phones and Devices
For invited professional athletes, the use of headphones, mobile phones, and other mobile recording devices is prohibited under the rules and regulations of the following governing bodies:

• World Athletics for the TCS New York City Marathon, the United Airlines NYC Half, the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, and the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile;
• USA Track & Field (“USATF”) for all other NYRR races for adults; and
• World Para Athletics

For all other athletes in the general field, the use of headphones is strongly discouraged. If you choose to wear headphones, please ensure that you can hear all announcements and remain aware of your surroundings, including other participants, and that the volume is low enough so that the sound is not audible to other runners.

The use of mobile phones and other recording devices while participating in the event for anything other than to track your run, or for use after the event, is strongly discouraged.

Running Courtesy

• Forming: Do not run in groups of three or more abreast; wide groups become barriers to other runners.
• Passing: Communicate when passing a runner, and allow others to pass. If someone running behind you says, “On your left,” move to your right to let the runner pass. If someone says, “On your right,” move to your left.
• Stopping: Do not stop abruptly. If you stop to drink at an aid station, take water from the furthest point on the table or line to avoid congestion and continue to walk forward. If you need to tie your shoelaces, move to the side of the course.
• Spitting: Take care when you spit and blow your nose to avoid hitting other participants.
• Noise: Portable speakers are banned at our events. Do not run with a speaker during a race as the amplified noise may diminish the race experience for other runners.
• Helping: If you encounter a runner in distress, offer assistance and/or report the situation to the nearest aid station, event official, or the event medical emergency line 866-705-6626.

Portable Toilets
Please be considerate in portable toilet lines. Do not cut in line or into another line. Respect that others will use the toilet after you. Urinating or defecating in the corrals, at the post-finish walk-off, or in park woods is not only discourteous, but also a violation of NYRR’s Rules of Competition, and you risk disqualification by engaging in such conduct. 

Trash
Please deposit all trash in the provided receptacles, including at aid stations. When discarding cups at aid stations, use caution to avoid hitting other participants..

Lost and Found Items
If you find an item during or after the event, please turn it into the NYRR staff tent or to any NYRR event official. NYRR will make best efforts to make these items available for pick up by the next day at the NYRR RUNCENTER, located at 320 West 57th Street in Manhattan. Items will be held for 30 days and discarded if not claimed by their owner.

Bag Check at Races
NYRR is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen bags or items from bags checked at NYRR bag check.

Violations of the Code of Conduct
NYRR reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to apply appropriate penalties to any participant in an NYRR event who violates the Code of Conduct. Penalties may include disqualification from a race, ineligibility for awards and prize money, a suspension or bar from participating in future NYRR events, a revocation of NYRR membership, and/or any other penalty NYRR deems appropriate under the circumstances.