Rules of Competition

Boston Road Runners events are organized and directed under USA Track & Field (“USATF”) rules and regulations. Entrants must also comply with the City of Boston and the State of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and BRR rules and regulations.

Safety

Event Officials: All participants must follow the instructions of event officials (BRR staff and volunteers). For participants’ safety, no skates, strollers (including running strollers), or animals are permitted. Costumes covering the face, or any non-formfitting bulky outfit extending beyond the perimeter of the body, are not permitted.

BRR reserves the right to change the details of the event, including delaying, canceling, or suspending the race due to inclement weather or other potential safety risks. Participants must retire at once from the race if ordered to do so by event officials, medical staff, or any governmental authority, including firefighters and police officers.

Sportsmanship: Any participant who conducts him- or herself in an unsportsmanlike manner or who is offensive in action or language to event officials, other participants, volunteers, or spectators may be disqualified. Protests concerning the conduct of participants will be accepted for up to 24 hours after the posting of results by contacting an event official or sending an email to races@bostonroadrunners.org

Participant Entry and Race Bib

Event Application: All participants must provide accurate information, including age, gender, and emergency contact information when filling out the event application. A participant may not change or add a team affiliation after an event has started.

Race Bib: Your official participant bib (running number) must be fully visible at all times and worn on the front of your torso. The timing device (B-Tag) is attached to the back of your running number; in order to ensure an accurate time, please do 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 bib properly attached and displayed risk not having their finish time and split times recorded, not being listed in the results for finishing the race. If your bib is lost on the course, please report it to an event official after the race.

No Transfer Permitted: Runner bibs are non-transferable; you cannot give or sell your bib or tag to another person or participate with an unofficial bib or tag. A participant who does not wear his or her assigned bib and tag, or who is found to have transferred, bought, or sold entry into a BRR event or otherwise permitted any other individual to wear his or her race number, will be disqualified and suspended from subsequent BRR events.

No Refunds: Entry fees are non-refundable and may not be deferred or transferred.

The Start

Start Corrals: Participants are responsible for arriving at the start and lining up according to their race pace (faster runners in the front). Any participant who climbs over a barricade or otherwise enters improperly may be disqualified. Late-arriving participants must report to the end of the line. Please follow the instructions of event officials.

Race Start: The race will be started by an air horn unless otherwise noted. All participants must be behind the starting line at the start of the race and must follow the instructions of the race starter.

Timing

Official Times: Your official (net) finish time is recorded by the timing system from when you cross the starting line to when you cross the finish line. This time determines the order of finish and award winners—except the two overall first-place awards, which always go to the first man and woman to cross the finish line. Start timing mats will be removed 10 minutes after the start of the race unless the size of the field warrants keeping the start open longer. After the start has closed, net times will not be recorded and times will be calculated from the time of the start horn. If a runner starts after the timing mats have been removed, no start time will be added.

The Course

Course Marking: BRR events (except for kids’ races) are conducted on USATF-certified courses. Participants must stay within course boundaries, as designated by barriers, traffic cones, delineation, and/or other markings, at all times; must recognize and understand event signage and symbols relating to the course, directions, and facilities; and must follow the instructions of course marshals. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

Course Monitoring: If you have not completed the entire course, do not cross the finish line or you will risk disqualification. Participants with missing or irregular split times at official timing checkpoints will be reviewed and may be disqualified. If you must leave the course, rejoin it only at the point at which you exited. No participant, after leaving the course, will be allowed to rejoin the race either for the purpose of gaining a place or to pace or assist another competitor.

Assistance: Unofficial pacers or other unregistered participants are not permitted. (This does not apply to officially-designated pacers.) A participant who receives assistance during an event from anyone other than official medical personnel may be disqualified.

Bandits: No individual who is not officially registered may join the event or accompany any participant in the event. Any person without an official bib will be directed to leave the course immediately.

The Finish

Time Limit: In the interest of safety, and to allow streets and park drives to reopen as scheduled, race courses will remain open to all participants who are able to maintain a 13:00-per-mile pace (based on the time when the last runner crosses the start line). Those participants who are not able to maintain this pace should be aware that fluid stations and other course amenities may not be available, and participants in races staged on city streets may be asked to move to the sidewalks. Late participants will be able to cross the finish line, but they are not guaranteed to be timed and recorded as official finishers.

Prohibited Items

The following items are prohibited from all BRR events and race venues:

A weapon of any kind, including firearms, knives, Mace, et cetera
Any dangerous item or “dual-use” item that could be considered dangerous, including hammers, saws, sharp objects, et cetera
Flammable liquids, fuels, fireworks, toxic chemicals, and explosives
Large packages, coolers, tents, and lean-tos
Duvets, sleeping bags, and large blankets or comforters
Alcoholic beverages and illegal substances of any kind
Unmanned aerial devices, drones, survey balloons, photography mini-copters, and any flying device with an on/off switch
Opaque trash bags and any non-transparent plastic bags (Clear trash bags will be allowed.)
Animals/pets
Folding chairs, camp chairs, and tables of any kind
Glass containers
Containers of liquid larger than one liter
Strollers
Suitcases and rolling bags
Backpacks and any bag other than the Official BRR Baggage provided for the specific event
Camelbaks® and any type of hydration backpack (Runners may use fuel belts and hand-held water bottles.)
Weight vests and any vests with multiple pockets, especially those that can be used as a water reservoir
Costumes that cover the face and any bulky outfits (formfitting outfits are allowed) extending beyond the perimeter of the body
Props, including sporting equipment, military and fire gear, and signs larger than 11”x17”
Selfie sticks and any camera mount or rig that isn’t attached directly to the head or torso