General terms
1. By acknowledging receipt of these terms and conditions and proceeding to run in the above Marathon to raise funds on behalf of the National Autistic Society (NAS), you agree and undertake to comply with the following specific terms.
2. If you are not seeking to be allocated a place by the NAS, but have obtained your own place, you do not have to pay a registration fee nor do you have a minimum sponsorship amount and all monies raised are allocated to the charitable purposes of the NAS.
3. Irrespective of whether or not you seek the allocation of a place by the NAS, or have obtained your own place, you are nonetheless required to complete the event organiser’s registration console in order to be registered as a participant by that body. Your authority to run and raise funds on behalf of the NAS is dependent upon your having successfully completed the event organiser’s console registration.
4. Should you have to withdraw for any reason, you should inform the National Autistic Society in writing, send all sponsorship forms and money collected directly to the charity, and notify your sponsors that you are no longer taking part. All sponsorship monies will be retained by the National Autistic Society unless your sponsors request in writing that the charity return it to them within one month of your cancellation (not applicable for online donations). If you choose to defer your place to a future event after the official console deadline has passed and are a charity place runner, you must pay a deferral fee to secure your place in a future event.
5. You are strongly advised to train for the event and prepare appropriately for your challenge. If you have not exercised for some time, you should consult your doctor for a check-up and abide by any clinical advice given.
6. The organiser, Chicago Event Management, specialises in challenges of this nature and is solely responsible for organising and running the event, including the safety of participants. Neither the NAS nor Chicago Event Management will accept liability for any injury, loss or damage unless it arises from their negligence.
7. You are strongly advised to take out personal injury insurance covering you to take part in this event.
8. The swapping or sale of race numbers is strictly prohibited for reasons of safety; in particular the identification of the runner by medical staff.
9. You must be at least 18 years old by race day (11 October 2026).
10. You must complete the race on foot and not at any time make use of a wheeled vehicle.
11. You must not suffer from alcohol or drug dependency, nor have any criminal convictions which you have not disclosed when applying to participate.
12. You will be responsible for providing your own personal equipment.
13. You agree that images or footage taken of you at the event may be used by the NAS in future promotional material including on its websites, on social media, and in charity magazines and reports. You may withdraw your consent at any time but acknowledge that any material already published at the time of withdrawal of consent may not be able to be withdrawn. If you are under the age of 18 at the time of agreeing to these terms and conditions, a parent or guardian must provide consent on your behalf by contacting fundraising@nas.org.uk. If no objection is raised prior to the event, then as you will be an adult at the date of the event, your consent will be assumed until such time as you withdraw it.
14. You understand and acknowledge that by participating in this event you will be representing the NAS and you undertake to abide by the charity's values which you will find here. The NAS reserves the right to withdraw your authority to represent the charity at any time should you poorly represent the charity’s values or should the charity have reason to believe you are acting fraudulently. The NAS will not be liable in any way for your expenses or other costs associated with the event that may be lost due to the withdrawal.
Charity place runner
1. The National Autistic Society’s charity places for the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be allocated between December 2025 – August 2026 (with waiting list places being allocated by the end of February 2026). If successful, you will be required to pay a non-refundable registration fee of £50 within 7 days of receiving your confirmation email. If you have not paid by this deadline, we will assume you no longer want a 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon place and will remove you from the team, giving your place to another runner.
2. By registering for a charity place in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2026, you are committing to a minimum fundraising amount of £2000 (minimum fundraising sponsorship) for the National Autistic Society which you undertake to send to the charity with at least 50% by 17 July 2026. The total sum should be sent to the National Autistic Society no later than four weeks after the event (deadline Sunday 8 November) and understand that is the endeavour of this challenge to raise as much above this as possible to aid of the National Autistic Society.
3. Should you not successfully complete the event organiser’s console registration by a date specified by the events team or not maintain that registration up to and including the date of the event, your authority to run on behalf of the NAS will be automatically withdrawn and (in the case of a place allocated by the NAS) your place re-allocated to another runner.
3. You agree to represent and raise money exclusively for the National Autistic Society in this event.
4. Of sponsorship raised, approx. £775 will be used to cover the cost of your place in the marathon. The remainder of the funds raised will go directly towards the work of the National Autistic Society, and cannot be restricted to any particular programme, service or branch of the charity.
5. No refund will be made in event of cancellation by you, the event organiser or the National Autistic Society as sponsorship raised is for charitable purposes.
6. The National Autistic Society has the right to remove any runner from the team if it is known that the minimum fundraising amount will not be met or an effort the reach the required amount is not committal.
7. You understand that if you are unable to take part in the event for any reason, including but not limited to personal injury, Covid-19 related issues, or travel restrictions), the decision to defer your place to a future event is at the discretion of the NAS.
8. Should you have to withdraw for any reason, you should inform the National Autistic Society in writing, send all sponsorship forms and money collected directly to the charity, and notify your sponsors that you are no longer taking part. All sponsorship monies will be retained by the National Autistic Society unless your sponsors request in writing that the charity return it to them within one month of your cancellation (not applicable for online donations). If you choose to defer your place to a future event after the official console deadline has passed, you must pay a deferral fee of £50 to secure your place in a future event.
Ballot place runner
1. Should you have to withdraw for any reason, you should inform the National Autistic Society in writing, send all sponsorship forms and money collected directly to the National Autistic Society, and notify your sponsors that you are no longer taking part. All sponsorship monies will be retained by the National Autistic Society unless your sponsors request in writing that the National Autistic Society return it to them within one month of your cancellation (not applicable for online donations).
2. As an own place runner (secured your place in the ballot) you do not have a minimum sponsorship amount.
3. You understand that if you are unable to take part in the event for any reason, including but not limited to: personal injury, Covid-19 related issues, or travel restrictions), the NAS is unable to defer your place to a future event. You must reach out to Chicago Event Management, the organisers of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, to discuss deferring your place.
