Information for Runners Requesting to be Accompanied by a Guide or Support Runner and for Guides and Support Runners

A runner with a vision impairment who requires a guide in order to participate in a New York Road Runners (“NYRR”) event is permitted to be accompanied by one (1) or two (2) guides, depending on the individual’s need. (For those runners who are using the TCS New York City Marathon for any qualifications, please plan according to the event/race governing body’s rules and regulations).

• It is the runner’s responsibility to select a guide who can perform all guide responsibilities at the runner’s goal race pace.
• It is strongly recommended that a runner selects a guide with whom he/she regularly trains.
• In limited situations, a runner may be permitted to register two (2) guides who run in relay fashion, where the runner is accompanied by one (1) guide at a time on the event course. If a two (2)-guide relay is used, the exchange must take place at the exchange station located at mile 13.6 of the event course.

During the registration process for the TCS New York City Marathon, all runners could indicate if they have a vision impairment and if they run accompanied by a guide, and if so, one (1) or two (2). Those runners who indicated they have a vision impairment and run accompanied by a guide will receive an email from NYRR in April with information regarding next steps for guide registration for the TCS New York City Marathon through NYRR. This process will involve NYRR collecting information regarding the specific guide, including but not limited to the guide’s first and last name and the email address they use to login to their NYRR account. The deadline for runners to provide the details for their guide will be Wednesday, September 4, 2024. NYRR will send an invitation to register directly to each guide by Friday, September 6, 2024. The deadline for the guide to complete the registration process through NYRR is Friday, September 13, 2024. Should the runner select a registered runner to serve as their guide, the runner still must follow the guide registration process described here and the guide will be assigned the appropriate guide race bib.

• After the deadline, any runner 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 to a runner who chooses to cancel their entry.)
• A guide’s registration/participation is contingent upon the runner’s participation. Should the runner choose not to participate, the guide’s registration is no longer valid and the guide will be uninvited/canceled. A guide may only participate with the runner who requested to register the guide.
• Any runner who has additional needs, or questions regarding participation in the TCS New York City Marathon, may email nyrrawdteam@nyrr.org.

• A guide must wear the race bib provided by the event organizers and assigned in the number range specifically designated for guides. A guide is required to pick up his / her race materials, including the race bib, during the TCS New York City Marathon Expo Presented by New Balance (“Expo”). Guide bibs for the TCS New York City Marathon are non-transferable; a guide is prohibited from giving or selling the race number or tag to another person or wearing an unofficial number or tag. 

The event organizers provide transportation on race morning for all runners with a vision impairment and each runner’s registered guide, if any, from Midtown Manhattan to the start staging area on Staten Island.

A guide may check his or her own bag with the specified truck in the staging area on Staten Island for retrieval after the finish at the AWD post finish area. These personal items must be in the clear bag provided to all runners and guides at the Expo.

A guide must cross the finish line with his/her runner. After the finish line, a guide must direct his/her runner to stay to the left. The exit to the AWD post finish area will be on the left. The exit will be marked by a sign.

• The method of guidance is the choice of the runner, with certain limitations (listed below). Some of the most common methods of guidance are using a tether, or verbal directions, instructions, or cues.
• A guide’s focus must always be on the runner they are assisting. A guide must always stay with their runner.
• A guide may not push, pull, or slingshot the runner forward. The runner may only bear weight on the guide temporarily to regain balance if necessary.
• A guide may not block or interfere with the forward progression of other race participants.
• A guide must advise their runner to stay to the side of the road when approached from behind by an official vehicle or other participants.   
• A guide for a runner starting on the orange course must stay with the runner on the orange course until the courses merge at approximately mile 8.
• A guide may not use rollerblades, a bicycle, or other mechanical means of transport.
• A guide is permitted to hand fluids to the runner at the designated fluid stations.  
• For guides starting/stopping at the exchange station: The exchange station will be located at the corner of 48th Avenue and Vernon Boulevard, just past the Pulaski Bridge in Queens, which is near the halfway point on the event course. A guide who is serving as the runner’s first guide is required to exit the event course at the exchange station and is responsible for transporting himself/herself home or to his/her hotel. A guide who is serving as the runner’s second guide is responsible for transporting himself/herself to the exchange station and is not permitted to enter the event course until the runner the guide is designated to support arrives at the exchange station and the first guide exits the event course. If the runner the guide is designated to support does not ever arrive at the exchange station, the guide is not permitted to enter the event course. The exchange station may easily be reached by NYC Transit (subway), by taking the Queens-bound #7 train from either Times Square or Grand Central Station in Manhattan to the Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave station (the first stop in Queens). 
• If a guide is unable to finish an event with his/her runner, the guide is required to drop-out and exit the course. If a guide drops-out, the runner may still participate so long as he/she is able to do so safely.
• A guide must cross the finish line with his/her runner. After the finish line, a guide must direct his/her runner to stay to the left. The exit to the AWD post-finish area will be on the left. The exit will be marked by a sign.

A runner (ambulatory) with a permanent physical or intellectual impairment who needs to be accompanied by another person on the TCS New York City Marathon course is permitted to be accompanied by one (1) or two (2) support runners, depending on the individual’s need. A runner participating using a pushrim wheelchair (or wheelchair with a FreeWheelTM) or handcycle may not be accompanied by another person on the TCS New York City Marathon course.

• It is the runner’s responsibility to select a support runner who can perform all support responsibilities at the runner’s goal race pace.
• It is strongly recommended that a runner selects a support runner with whom he/she regularly trains.
• NYRR suggests that athletes participate with one (1) support runner, but will approve a second support runner as and if needed.

During the registration process for the TCS New York City Marathon, all runners could indicate if they have a physical or intellectual impairment, participate on foot (or with prosthesis), if they run accompanied by a support runner, and if so, one (1) or two (2). Those runners who indicated they have a physical or intellectual impairment, participate on foot, and run accompanied by a support runner, will receive an email from NYRR in April with information regarding next steps for support runner registration for the TCS New York City Marathon through NYRR. This process will involve NYRR collecting information regarding the specific support runner, including but not limited to the support runner’s first and last name and the email address they use to login to their NYRR account. The deadline for runners to provide the details for their support runner will be Wednesday, September 4, 2024. NYRR will send an invitation to register directly to each support runner by Friday, September 6, 2024. The deadline for the support runner to complete the registration process through NYRR is Friday, September 13, 2024. Should the runner select a registered runner to serve as their support runner, the runner still must follow the support runner registration process described here and the support runner will be assigned the appropriate race bib.

• After the deadline, any runner 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 to a runner who chooses to cancel their entry.)
• A support runner’s registration/participation is contingent upon the runner’s participation. Should the runner choose not to participate, the support runner’s registration is no longer valid and the support runner will be uninvited/canceled. A support runner may only participate with the runner who requested to register the support runner.
• Any runner who has additional needs or questions regarding participation in the TCS New York City Marathon may email nyrrawdteam@nyrr.org.

• A support runner must wear the race bib provided by the event organizers and assigned in the number range specifically designated for support runners. A support runner is required to pick up his/her race materials, including the race bib, during the TCS New York City Marathon Expo Presented by New Balance (“Expo”). Support runner bibs for the TCS New York City Marathon are non-transferable; a support runner is prohibited from giving or selling the race number or tag to another person or wearing an unofficial number or tag. 

• The event organizers provide transportation on race morning for all runners with a permanent physical or intellectual impairment and each runner’s registered support runner, if any, from Midtown Manhattan to the start staging area on Staten Island.   
• A support runner may check their own bag with the specified truck in the staging area on Staten Island for retrieval after the finish at the AWD post finish area. These personal items must be in the clear bag provided to all runners and support runners at the Expo.  
• A support runner must cross the finish line with their runner. After the finish line, a support runner must direct their runner to stay to the left. The exit to the AWD post-finish area will be on the left. The exit will be marked by a sign.

• A support runner’s focus must always be on the runner they are accompanying. A support runner must always stay with their runner.
• The support runner may not push, pull, or slingshot the runner forward. The runner may only bear weight on the support runner temporarily to regain balance if necessary. The runner and the support runner may not have sustained physical contact during the race.
• The support runner may not block or interfere with the forward progression of other race participants.
• A support runner must advise their runner to stay to the side of the road when approached from behind by an official vehicle or other participants.
• A support runner for a runner starting on the orange course must stay with the runner on the orange course until the courses merge at approximately mile 8.
• A support runner may not use rollerblades, a bicycle, or other mechanical means of transport.
• A support runner is permitted to hand fluids to the runner at the designated fluid stations.
• A support runner may assist the runner if they have tripped or fallen to regain footing and/or orientation.