Boston Marathon Para Athlete and Guide Runner Rules

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) maintains dedicated competitive divisions and adaptive programs for athletes with disabilities at the Boston Marathon. In addition to the professional Wheelchair Division, the event includes the Para Athletics Division, the Adaptive Program for Runners, Duo Teams, and the Handcycle Program.

Each program enforces distinct classification standards, qualifying limits, and guide runner requirements. Here is how adaptive entry works, how guide and support runners register, and what course rules apply.

What are the divisions and qualifying standards?

Athletes entering disability categories must be at least 18 years old on race day and satisfy specific eligibility criteria:

• Para Athletics Division: A competitive division for athletes holding a national or World Para Athletics (WPA) classification in eligible sport classes (including T11/T12 and T13 for visual impairments, T20 for intellectual impairments, T35-T38 for coordination impairments, and T42-T47/T61-T64 for limb impairments). Entrants must achieve qualifying times established for their age, gender, and classification.
• Adaptive Program for Runners: Open to athletes with permanent physical, intellectual, or visual impairments that align with the 10 eligible impairment types recognized by WPA and significantly affect running ability. Athletes with visual impairments must meet the criteria for legal blindness (acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correction, or a field of 20 degrees or less). The qualifying standard on a certified marathon course is 5:00:00 for runners with visual impairments and 6:00:00 for physical or intellectual impairments. The combined field size cap across the Adaptive Programs is 250 runners.
• Duo Team Program: Consists of a runner pushing a non-ambulatory rider with a permanent physical impairment in a customized racing wheelchair. The team must qualify using the open division time standard for the pushing runner's age and gender. Invitational or charity duo teams must show a certified marathon finish of 6:00:00 or faster. No runner substitutions or relay teams are permitted.

Who is eligible for a guide or support runner?

The B.A.A. distinguishes between Guide Runners and Support Runners:

• Guide Runners: Provide verbal navigation cues for runners with visual impairments. In the Para Athletics Division, T11 athletes are required to run with a guide, T12 athletes may choose whether to use one, and T13 athletes may use a guide (which retains race ranking and awards eligibility, though waives WPA/USATF record eligibility). In the Adaptive Program, athletes with visual impairments may register up to two guide runners.
• Support Runners: Provide verbal direction and decision-making support for athletes with physical or intellectual impairments. Support runners are permitted solely in the Adaptive Program (one support runner per athlete) and are not allowed in the competitive Para Division.

How do guide and support runner bibs work?

Eligible athletes must select their own guides. The B.A.A. does not assign guide or support runners. Athletes cannot attach fundraising contingencies or financial conditions to guide selection.

Key registration and bib rules include:

• Registration email: Registered athletes receive registration instructions approximately 45 days before race day to sign up their designated guide or support runners.
• No entry fee: There is no entry fee for registered guide or support runners.
• Official bibs: Guides receive official B.A.A. issued GUIDE or SUPPORT bibs. Homemade or manufactured bibs are prohibited. If a runner is already a registered participant in the open field and agrees to guide, they must register as a guide and wear both bibs.
• Official results and medals: Guide and support runners on a charity waiver, invitational entry, or qualifier entry appear in official results if they finish with their registered athlete before the 5:30 p.m. course closure. All other guide and support runners receive a race shirt, gear bag, and finisher medal, and appear in official results only if they meet three conditions: submit proof to paraathletes@baa.org before March 1, 2027 that they raced together as the athlete's guide or support runner in a road race of 5K or longer, complete the full Boston Marathon distance with their athlete without finishing before or after them, and finish before the 5:30 p.m. course closure.

What on-course rules must guides follow?

Guides must accompany their athlete for the full race distance and cannot cross the finish line ahead of the runner. The athlete must set the running cadence.

Guide runners cannot push, pull, slingshot, or carry fuel for their athlete, though they may assist at official fluid stations. In the Adaptive Program, visual impairment guides can use a tether up to 24 inches, an elbow lead, or run untethered. In the Para Division, guides must use a WPA-approved tether up to 50 centimeters and exchange at the designated halfway check-in point if using two guides. Support runners cannot use a tether and cannot maintain sustained physical contact with the athlete.

All participants and guides must finish prior to the official 5:30 p.m. course timing closure.

To check standard qualifying times and race details, visit our Boston Marathon page.

Sources: B.A.A. Guide & Support Runners, B.A.A. Para & Adaptive Eligibility, B.A.A. Adaptive Program for Runners, B.A.A. Boston Marathon Rules and Policies