Respect the Run

Run
Guidelines and Procedures
Respect the Run

Respect the Run

Hitting the pavement with New York Road Runners? We’re continuously looking for ways to help make your running experience—whether at an NYRR race or on your own—the best it can be. That’s why we’ve rolled out a campaign called “Respect the Run” to help educate our runners on our Rules of Competition and Code of Conduct, and to keep everyone safe both at our events and all over NYC.

Our races today are vastly different from those of 50, 20, and even five years ago—more people, tighter security, new logistics, ever-changing technologies—and they will continue to evolve. While running itself hasn’t fundamentally changed, the world around us has, and those changes affect our runs every day. Check out the tips on this page, and check back soon for more ways to Respect the Run!

We know things come up and you can’t always run a race you signed up for. But we need to know who our runners are on the course so we can help you if you need it. If a runner wearing your bib has a medical issue, we won’t be able to help them as effectively if we don’t know them. If you run using someone else’s bib, we don’t know you, so you’re at risk as well. You get the idea. Run only with your own race number—period. If we find you doing otherwise, you and anyone else involved risk being suspended from future NYRR races.

Our races are more popular than ever, and as we’ve implemented new security measures, we now need you to arrive at races earlier than in the past so you can clear security, check your bag (if you bring one), line up in your corral, and start on the best foot. Depending on the race, please, arrive at least 30 to 60 minutes before the start—check the race listing for specifics! If you’re late and your corral is closed, you’ll need to enter the last corral so others can begin the race safely.

Upon arrival, and after going through security and checking any bags, make your way to your corral, which is assigned to you based on your best pace. Please enter your corral at the designated corral entry point before the corral closing time. For everyone’s safety, don’t climb over barricades or otherwise improperly enter. Running with a friend who’s assigned to a different corral? No problem—just make your way to the corral with the letter latest in the alphabet.

Throw Your Trash in a Bin, Respect the Run

NYRR strives to protect the environments in which we operate, recognizing that we are guests in parks, public spaces, and communities. Please treat these venues with respect by depositing your trash in the provided receptacles. When disposing of your trash, please keep in mind:

- Biodegradable items such as apple cores are still trash. Please do not leave them on the ground.
- When picking up your race materials on race day, do not leave plastic wrappings or paper on the ground.
- If there are special treats such as ice pops, ensure that the wrappers, stickers, cups, etc. are properly disposed of.
- If you are offered a free giveaway, such as a sticker or poster, that you do not want, politely decline it rather than discarding it on the ground.