Rules

Event Entry & Registration Requirements

All participants in the Half Marathon must be at least 12 years old on Event date. Participants under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian present to pick up the participant’s race bib and sign the Event waiver.

All participants must show a government-issued photo ID when picking up their own race number. The information on the government-issued photo ID must match their registration information, including gender, in order to verify that they are the individual to whom the race number is assigned. Race numbers must be picked up as specified in the written instructions provided to participants. No special arrangements will be made except for participants purchasing race day pick-up.

The age of a participant on the day of the race determines his or her age division. If, for any reason, an age verification is requested, a birth certificate or a U.S. passport will be required in addition to a government-issued photo ID.

Without exception all participants must agree to and sign the Event waiver.

Any participant seeking accommodation in respect to a disability must submit a written request to the following email address: solutions@mccourtfoundation.org

Race entry fees and ancillary purchases are non-refundable and non-transferable under any and all circumstances including the cancellation of the Event, a rescheduling of the Event to a different date, or the Event conducted at a shorter distance or as a virtual event.

Race Numbers & Timing Chips

All participants must wear the officially issued race number bib registered to the wearer. Any person wearing a counterfeit or copied race number bib will be banned from the Event for at least 2 years.

Participant race number bibs are specific personal identifiers and may not be exchanged or transferred, given or sold to any other person. The sale and/or transfer of race entries/bibs is strictly prohibited and will result in the disqualification and/or banning from future event of any individuals (sellers and buyers) involved.

Participants are responsible for verifying that their timing chip is working properly prior to the race and worn correctly during the race. Timing chips can be tested at the pickup location and any problems with the timing device must be addressed at the time of packet pick-up.

Race numbers must be pinned on the front of the participant’s shorts/singlet and must be conspicuously visible at all times while on the race course. Participants who can’t be verified as they pass through official race photography and/or other check points due to missing or obscured race numbers may be determined to have cut the course and removed from the results or disqualified. Race numbers may not be folded or cut.

Participants found to be wearing or transporting two or more timing chips during the race will be disqualified and banned from future Events.

Apparel & Costumes

While Costumes are allowed uniforms, costumes or outfits covering the face, or any non-formfitting bulky outfit extending beyond the perimeter of the body, are not permitted.

Race Course

The race course is defined as the roadway between its edges and curbs or as defined by marks or cones. [See Course Cutting below.]

Participants are responsible to recognize and understand Event signage and symbols relating to participant maps, facilities and directions.

The course has been measured and certified as to its distance in accordance with USATF requirements.

The Race Start

Participants will be assigned to numbered “Start Corrals” in accordance with time qualifying standards and other factors determined each year by the Event Organization.

Participants are required to start in their designated Corral.

All participants must enter their Start Corral at the designated entry points. Any person who enters improperly will be disqualified from the Event. Any participant attempting to enter a Start Corral to which they are not assigned will be required to start after all other participants have crossed the start line.

All participants are responsible for knowing the Event’s start time and check-in method for their Start Corral. All participants must be in their corral at the appointed time to receive instructions and to participate in the Official Start of the race. For participant safety, once a corral is closed for entry, late-arriving participants must report to the last corral.

Participants must begin the Event during the official recognized start times. Start timing mats will be removed after all participants in the last corral have had a reasonable opportunity to start, to be determined by the Race Organization.

False starts will not be recalled.

Time Limit

The Event has a maximum race day finish time of four hours measured from the time the last on-time runner crosses the start line. The Marathon course will reopen for public use on a rolling schedule based on this time limit. Participants that fall behind this pace will be directed on to a shorter course or transported off the course.

The Event time requirement applies to all race divisions, forms of entry and Event participation.

Sportsmanship

All participants are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner during their participation in the Event. This means, for example, that urinating or defecating anywhere on or near the course shall be strictly prohibited except in toilet facilities. Anyone violating this rule of conduct shall be disqualified from the Event and will be asked to leave the course.

Participants shall immediately and respectfully comply with the directions of any race official or volunteer. Participants may not make any public protest or display of disgust with regard to the application of these Rules or any decision of any race marshal or official.

No Participant shall make a bad-faith protest against any other participant.

Conduct & Interference

At all times during the Event, Participants will act with due consideration of the safety and rights of other participants. Regardless of the circumstances or competitive disadvantage, no participant will commit any act that endangers any other participant. Participants shall not intentionally obstruct, impede or interfere with the forward progress of another participant.

Course-Cutting

Participants must stay on the race course which is defined as the roadway between its edges and curbs or as defined by marks or cones. Participants who intentionally shorten the route of the race (“course-cutting”) will be disqualified. Any participant leaving the race course for any reason must re-enter the race course where he or she left it or be disqualified for course-cutting. Course-cutting may be determined by eye-witness reports, by surveillance equipment and video, or by the participant failing to register times at timing mats or appearing in race photography. Participants with missing or irregular mile split times at official timing checkpoints will be reviewed and may be disqualified.

Unauthorized Persons

No unauthorized persons may enter the start line area including the corals, the race course, and secured finish areas. Such unauthorized persons include but are not limited to the children and other family members and friends of participating athletes. All unauthorized persons will be directed to leave the start and secured finish areas and the course.

Any person on the race course and not properly displaying an officially authorized and issued race number will be directed to leave the race course by race officials, race security or police.

Participant safety

Unless specifically allowed below, participants may not use or carry on the course any objects or devices except pocket-sized cellular or photographic devices and hydration devices or bottles.

Prohibited items include:
Selfie sticks and any camera mount or rig that isn’t attached directly to the head or torso
Weapons & sharp objects
Signs & banners larger than 11” x17”
Duvets, sleeping bags, and large blankets or comforters
Alcoholic beverages and illegal substances of any kind
Unmanned aerial devices, drones, survey balloons, mini-copters, and any other flying device
Opaque trash bags and any non-transparent plastic bags (Clear trash bags are allowed)
Glass containers
Containers of liquid larger than one liter (except hydration packs – see below)
Backpacks and any bags other than the clear bag check bag
Weight vests and any vests with multiple pockets, especially those that can be used as a water reservoir

Allowed items include:
Pocket-sized mobile phones and mp3 players
Camelbaks® and other types of small hydration backpacks
Fuel belts and hand-held water bottles
All hydration packs are subject to search and may not hold anything other than liquids
Non-commercial flags on poles not exceeding 18”

Portable listening devices may not be used by participants starting in the Elite Open start (racing for prize money).
Wheelchairs, duos, baby joggers and baby strollers are allowed on the course. Participants with baby joggers, duos and baby strollers will be required to start at the back of the race.

Wheelchairs will start the race as positioned by race officials. Positioning will depend upon the type of chair used and other factors.

The use of any other wheeled devices including chain-drive leg propelled bicycles or tricycles is prohibited. The Event is a run\walk competition and participants may not use any device that assist in propelling them along the course except for shoes as defined by USATF rules.

No animals of any kind, including dogs, may be brought on the course or into the Start or Finish line areas. (For the use of service animals see AWD rules).

Participants may not carry an infant or child at any point on the race course or in the Start or Finish line areas.

Directions from Officials

Participants must comply with all directions given by race officials including immediately retiring from the race if directed to do so by a race official or any governmental authority, including fire and police officers.

Event officials reserve the right to delay, cancel, or suspend the race due to weather, safety or security concerns.

Directions from Medical Officials

Authorized medical personnel may require a participant to stop at any point on the race course for an examination. If in the sole opinion of authorized medical personnel, it is in the best interest of the participant’s health and welfare, medical personnel may remove a participant from the Event. Any participant failing to immediately accept the direction of an authorized medical personnel will be disqualified and may be banned from future Events. Participants allowed by medical personnel to continue on the race course will not have received illegal assistance and will not be penalized.

Participants are responsible and assume liability for any and all medical expenses incurred as a result of training for and/or participation in the Event, including but not limited to ambulance transport, hospital stays, physician and pharmaceutical goods and services.

Results & Awards

Age Group participants will compete in the following male and female age divisions:
15 & under, 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80 and over

The top 3 finishers in each age division will receive a commemorative award. All official finishers will receive a commemorative medal. Age group awards will be mailed to winners within 3 weeks of the Event date.

Official times for all participants will be the electronic timing device time (net time) from when the participant crosses the start line to the point where the participant crosses the finish line. Participants must wear their assigned timing chip, which is permanently attached to their bib number, from start line to finish line to receive an official finish time. Times will be rounded to the next highest second.

Drug Testing & Sanction

All participants including age group participants, are subject to USATF, USADA, IAAF and WADA anti-doping rules. An anti-doping rule violation occurring during or in connection with the Event may lead to disqualification of the participants’ individual results, including forfeiture of all awards, points and prizes.

The Race will be conducted under current USATF Competition Rules. By entering the race, all participants agree to abide by these rules. Any participant who fails to comply with any applicable rule may be disqualified and/or banned from future Events as determined by the Event Organization.

Rule Waiver

Any individual requesting a waiver of any of these Rules (with the exception of refunds and packet pick up policy) must submit a written request no less than 30 days prior to the Event date specifying the nature of and reasons for the request. The Event reserves the right to approve or deny any such request in its’ sole discretion.

Protests

Protests lodged against age group participants relating to matters that developed during the conduct of the competition must be made immediately if possible, but not later than noon local time the day after the Event. Protests must be made in writing and emailed to solutions@mccourtfoundation.org and marked “Protest” in the subject line. The Referee or Rules Committee shall decide protests as soon as possible as determined by the nature of the protest or the necessity of obtaining testimony or other evidence.

All results are tentative until they are marked and publicized as Official. Official results will be posted as soon as possible after race date as allowed by drug testing, protests (if any), and a full and complete review of timing and other data.