General Race Rules

1. All runners must check in at the start line, ready to race, at 0545 and the race will begin at 0630 on race day. (This requires departing Borrego Springs no later than 500am.)
2. There are only two divisions: Duo or Trio, which are then sub-divided into men’s team, women’s team, and mixed team sub-categories.
3. There are mandatory intermediate cut-offs along the route. Specifically, all teams must have continued beyond the Borrego Springs Resort at mile 35.23 within nine hours of starting the race, while all teams must have continued onto the trail section – which begins at mile 40.6 – within eleven hours of starting the race. Teams / runners which exceed these deadlines will be declared DNF and MUST discontinue running and participation in the race.
4. For the trail section of the race, which starts at mile 40.6, every runner must carry a rain jacket (not just a windbreaker), beanie, gloves, emergency blanket, whistle, reflective gear (as used for night running), front and rear blinky lights (kept on at all times), head lamp or flashlight and a second set of new batteries for the light (or two separate lights / headlamps with new batteries), as well as a full charged cell phone, AMPLE hydration for six hours (Minimum of 1.5L / 50 ounces), AMPLE nutrition for six hours (Minimum of 1000 calories), and other supplies. Reflective gear and blinky lights (in on position) must be worn at all times on the trail section, regardless of time of day. NOTE: The fastest teams cover the trail section in about 2.5 hours, while the back-of-the-pack teams have taken as much as SIX HOURS to complete the trail section.
5. The clock does not stop for any reason until the race course officially closes after 28 hours. All racers must leave the course by the 28th hour (or sooner, if cut-offs are missed, as outlined above).
6. Running must always be single file and outside the white “fog line” on the edge of the roadway. Running should be off the left side of the road, facing traffic. Running well away from the pavement may be done on either side of the road, depending on which side is safest and has the best line of sight. The intent of the rules and the event’s concept is that all running is done outside the white “fog line” and therefore never in any traffic lane (except during the first 6.9 miles through Salton City, where all running is along local roads.)
7. There is no “I” in “TEAM”: All members of each team must remain together while running (within 10 meters) at all times. If members of a team become more than 25 meters apart, the lead runner, or runners, who allowed the gap to grow to more than 10 meters will be disqualified immediately. This applies for the entire 81 miles of the race course, especially on the trail section where teams should make an even bigger effort to stay well within the 10-meter limit. (Teams are expected to run together, single-file, essentially at all times. The 10-meter limit is only intended to allow privacy during nature calls, not to allow the runners on a team to spread out.)
8. Teams must make their presence known at all checkpoints located along the route; they must arrive at all checkpoints together and may only depart each checkpoint together, unless one runner is dropping out of the race at that location. Team arrival times at checkpoints will be recorded and made public.
9. All members of each team must run the entire distance and cross the finish line together to be considered Official Finishers and be ranked in the results. Teams which do not complete the course intact (i.e. one or two team members drops out along the way) will not be ranked, but the remaining team members are encouraged to complete the race under all applicable race rules and will be listed as Official Finishers (but not ranked). Finisher buckles will be awarded to all runners who complete the full 81-mile route within the guidelines of the race, but only intact teams will be ranked as Official Finishers.
10. Teams may not change division (for example, from Trio to Duo) after the start of the race. If a Trio has one runner drop out during the race, that team will NOT be re-categorized as a Duo.
11. Racers, crew, and staff must not litter, mar, or pollute the landscape or environment.
12. All racers, crew and staff must display courtesy, good taste, decorum, and sportsmanship at all times. Nudity is specifically not allowed.

Legal and Bureaucratic Issues

1. If the event is canceled due to pandemic, extreme weather, community disaster, or other force majeure, neither refunds nor credits will be given.
2. Although we anticipate using the same route each year, the final, exact route is subject to approval from various government agencies and is always subject to change due to various factors beyond our control.
3. Badwater® is a federally registered trademark and may not be used in any commercial or promotional manner except under license from AdventureCORPS, Inc. In particular, t-shirts (such as for crew members) may not state “Badwater” nor feature any version of the race logo or Badwater logo.
4. All racers must follow and complete the entire application and entry process, filling out all forms and paying all necessary fees.
5. All racers and all crew members must sign and fully complete the Accident Waiver and Release of Liability / Release of Name and Likeness. All racers must also sign and fully complete the San Diego County Waiver and Release of Liability. Each team must also bring the properly completed Check-In Form to Runner Check-In.
6. All race vehicles must meet the minimum requirements of property damage and personal injury liability automobile insurance for the State of California. All vehicle drivers must be fully licensed.
7. All racers and all support team members must attend Racer Check-In and the Pre-Race Meeting.
8. All entrants must bring one U.S. dollar (or more) in a sealed envelope to Racer Check-In. Please write the runner name and team name on the envelope. This envelope will not be returned and the money will be donated to charity.
9. During Racer Check-In, all entrants must display ONE satisfactory reflective vest and TWO blinking red lights PER RUNNER and PER CREW MEMBER. These must be worn and utilized by the runners and crew at all times while outside of vehicles during nighttime periods of the race. (Our definition of nighttime is 700pm to 700am.) Runners without satisfactory quality, or quantity, nighttime safety equipment will not be allowed to compete. (Hi-visibility clothing is highly recommended for both runners and crew members at all times, including during the day.)
10. All applicants must be a minimum of 18 years in age when submitting an application to race.
11. All racers must be willing to submit to a drug urine test before (at any point prior to the race, after being officially confirmed for entry), during (at any time), or after the race (up to 90 days after the conclusion of the race). If any WADA banned substances are detected, the racer will be disqualified from competition, listed as DISQUALIFIED FOR DOPING in the final standings of the race, and banned for life from any AdventureCORPS event. Refusal to submit a urine specimen upon demand will also result in the racer being disqualified from competition, being listed as DISQUALIFIED FOR DOPING in the final standings of the race, and being banned for life from any AdventureCORPS event. Additionally, any BADWATER Salton Sea finisher who fails a drug test within 36 months after competing in any edition of BADWATER Salton Sea will be retroactively disqualified from any and all previous BADWATER Salton Sea races, removed from all BADWATER Salton Sea race results, as well as banned for life from any AdventureCORPS events.
12. No commercial photographer / videographer may accompany or cover any racer or the race itself without the specific written permission of AdventureCORPS, Inc. Additionally, multiple government agencies may also require payment of a filming fee and signature of a filming agreement.

Support Crew and Assistance

1. Each team must be accompanied by a support crew comprised of no more than one four-wheeled motor vehicle and a minimum of two crew members – both of whom are legally licensed to drive and at least one of whom can speak English – at all times. Each team must have its own dedicated personal support crew and vehicle; crew and support vehicles may not be shared, except informally in the spirit of the event, i.e., support crews may lend assistance to other teams, racers, or crews. “Unofficial crews or crew vehicles” and “family cheering squads” are not allowed at the race.
2. Runners must progress under their own power without drafting, helping, pushing, supporting, or any other type of physical assistance, EXCEPT from their teammates. (Teammates may help one another in any reasonable manner, including pushing, pulling, towing, and the like.)
3. So-called “cooling vests” or other types of artificial / technological cooling systems may not be worn or utilized by race entrants while making forward progress on the race course.
4. Trekking poles are allowed, but they must be used carefully.
5. Tethering / towing teammates is allowed, but must be done so carefully.
6. Runners may not be accompanied by a crew member at any time while making forward progress on the race course, EXCEPT during brief moments when supplies are being handed off. Crew members that are handing off supplies, or otherwise providing aid to the runners, must be off the roadway at all times (i.e. outside the white line on the shoulder). Crew members may not run in front of race entrants at any time. Crew members may not accompany runners during the trail section of the race (mile 40.6 to mile 48.5.)
7. After mile 6.9 (leaving Salton City), runners must NEVER run abreast with other runners: All running must be single-file.
8. Crew members may not use illegal drugs, stimulants, or dope, as well as alcohol of any kind, during the race or at any official race events or activities.
9. Wheeled conveyances (other than a motorized support vehicle), including in-line skates, strollers, and bicycles, are prohibited on the course at all times. Likewise for hovercrafts and helicopters. Runners accompanied by any such conveyance will be disqualified.

Support Vehicles

1. The California Motor Vehicle Code, and all local, county, and/or State Park laws, rules, and regulations, must be respected at all times. In particular, support vehicle drivers and crews are reminded that phones must only be operated by the driver with a hands-free device; seat belts must be worn by all vehicle occupants at all times while moving, and it is illegal to drive on a highway while displaying emergency flashers. For further information, consult the DMV Code.
2. Support vehicles may not be wider than 80″ in width, per official manufacturer specifications (not including mirrors.) Additionally, support vehicles may not be more than 84″ in height. Small Cars, Minivans, and SUVs are recommended. Oversize SUVs, vans, and trucks, or other types of oversize vehicles are strongly discouraged. Motorhomes, RVs, “SportsMobiles,” Sprinter Vans (and similar, such as the Dodge Ram 1500 / 2500 Promaster), vehicles with extra high rooflines, and all types of Hummers are specifically not allowed. Support vehicles may not pull trailers of any kind. (The largest vehicle currently allowed at the event is the Nissan NV3500, which is no longer made, as of 2022. Please note that Ford Transit vans are also now too wide for use at the race. See the Ideal Support Vehicle and Set-Up blog post at Badwater.com for further information.)
3. All race vehicles must have highly visible signage on the back of the vehicle stating “CAUTION RUNNERS ON ROAD,” as provided by the race organizers at Runner Check-In. (Teams may provide their own signage for this purpose, but its suitability will be inspected.)
4. All support vehicles must have their Team Name easily and clearly visible on all four sides. The lettering must be at least 10″ (26cm) tall. A high-visibility “paint pen” may be used to mark the team number in the lower section of the windows on all four sides of the vehicle, so long as it does not obstruct the view through any of the windows. (The race organizers will have several paint pens available for this purpose.) Alternatively, or additionally, teams may choose to have custom signage made to identify their vehicle.
5.  Place the provided sticky Team Name sign on the driver’s door of the support van.
6. Except as noted above, the view through vehicle windows may not be blocked or obstructed with any signage, paint, or the like. If a team’s support vehicle is found with blocked windows during the race, that team will be forced to stop and wait while the vehicle’s windows are unblocked and signage properly mounted.
7. Vehicles must “leapfrog” the runner at all times. Generally speaking, each “leapfrog” should be approximately THREE MILES in length during daylight, and ONE MILE or more in length during nighttime. Racers may never be “shadowed” (driving a vehicle at the runner’s speed) and vehicles must not “caravan” (drive together, like a train, at any speed). Driving may never be at the speed of any racer. Driving must be done at the speed of traffic, never slowing down to encourage, talk to, or lend assistance to any racer while moving. All assistance must be provided by pedestrian crew members; handing off of supplies from the vehicle is never allowed while the vehicle is in motion.
8. All support vehicles must have their headlights on while driving, 24 hours a day. From 700pm to 700am (our definition of nighttime), at all times while stopped or parked off the road, support vehicles must have their headlights turned off and emergency flashers turned on.
9. Vehicles must be parked completely off the road surface whenever they are stopped – with all four tires right of the white line, preferably at least 8 feet beyond the white line. Many areas of the route have very little shoulder for parking, so care must be taken in choosing stopping places. When stopping/parking, vehicles may not stop on the left side of the road, except in VERY LARGE pullouts at which the vehicle will be at least 15 feet from the edge of the roadway.

Safety and Medical Issues

1. Remember, at all times and in all situations, safety is the most important issue. This means safety for racers, crew, staff, and the general public must always be respected. The roads are not closed for this event and may be, in fact, quite busy with tourist and local traffic.
2. I.V.s (intravenous fluids) are not permitted during the race. If a racer receives an I.V. during the race, for any reason, then that racer is disqualified and must withdraw from the race and the race course. His or her teammates will also be disqualified, but may choose to finish the race course unofficially.
3. From 700pm to 700am (our definition of nighttime), while out of doors on the race course, all racers and all crew members must wear reflective material facing in all four directions, as well as blinking red lights facing front and rear. Racers and crew members are encouraged to wear reflective material during the day as well.
4. Racers are responsible for their own actions, their teammates’ actions, and their crew’s actions; crews are responsible for both their own actions and their racers’ actions.
5. Always look and listen both ways before crossing the highways. Remember that drivers will not expect to encounter a racer or parked vehicle out on the course. Remember we are on public roads with no road closures or traffic monitoring. Racers should not cross over the highway more than necessary; crew should cross the highway carefully to bring assistance to their racer.
6. All entrants and crew must study “Medical Risks in the Badwater Ultramarathon,” “Dangers of Running in the Heat,” and “The Dangers of Hot Weather Running” as published in the race magazine and/or on this website.

Leaving the Course or Withdrawing

1. Every inch of the course must be traveled by each racer. In the event of a routing error, e.g., wrong turn, the racer may be driven back to the exact original spot where he/she left the course and continue running from that location. There will be no allowance made for lost time or miles run in the wrong direction.
2. If a racer or team needs to leave the course, his/her crew must note the exact location with some sort of marker left on the ground, as well as resetting their odometer to mark the distance to the location. The racer and his or her team must then resume the race from the same place that he/she left it. Racers may only leave the course for appropriate reasons such as rest or medical attention. Focus must be kept on the speedy completion of the course.
3. If a racer or team withdraws, he/she or his/her crew must contact Race Headquarters or a  checkpoint immediately. Team Name, reason for withdrawal, time of withdrawal, and miles completed must be stated. All racers and crew who drop are encouraged – and expected – to come to the finish line and the post-race brunch to greet and celebrate with their fellow racers and crews.
4. All Emergency Evacuation costs for participants or crews will be borne by that person or their heirs. The race organizers are in no way liable or responsible for emergency evacuation.

Awards

1. All racers who begin the event will receive a BADWATER t-shirt, hat, sunglasses, and tote backpack, and other selected Badwater products.
2. All runners who complete the full 81-mile route within the guidelines of the race will receive the finisher’s buckle and be listed as an Official Finisher, but only intact teams will be ranked (i.e. 2nd or 4th place.)

Rule Enforcement and Penalties

1. Race rules are designed to provide a safe and fair experience for everyone involved and to help ensure our ability to produce the race again next year.
2. Major rule infractions by racers or their crew, especially those regarding “cheating,” safety, and poor sportsmanship will result in immediate disqualification of the racer, or racers.
3. Other, lesser offenses will result in the following cumulative time penalties:
   • First Penalty: One Hour
   • Second Penalty: Disqualification
4. Time penalties are imposed at the finish line by adjusting finishing times.
5. The Race Director has the authority, at any time, to overrule any rule or invent a new rule based on extenuating, unforeseen, and/or unusual circumstances and/or to maintain the integrity and fair play necessary for the successful completion, and continuation, of the race. The Race Director has ultimate authority in regards to all rules, their interpretation, and their enforcement. There is no “appeals committee” nor an “appeals process.” All entrants in the race, and their support crews, willingly acknowledge this fact, as well as all other race rules, by attending the race in any capacity.
6. In all cases and circumstances, it is the intent, and spirit, of the rules which will govern their implementation and enforcement.

Finally

• Have fun and keep smiling!