Diversity & Inclusion

Acknowledgement Statement

Here at Hamilton Marathon Road2Hope, we are committed to continuously listening, learning, and reflecting on the accessibility of long-distance running. We recognize that equity-deserving communities often encounter systemic and individual barriers that hinder their participation in our events. As leaders in the running community of Hamilton and beyond, we hold ourselves accountable for driving positive change. Our dedication lies in fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive running community, and we welcome the vigilance of our community in pointing out areas where we can improve.

We also understand that accessibility and equity are closely intertwined with the well-being of our natural environment. To learn more about our sustainability initiatives, please visit our environmental responsibility page.

Commitment Statement

Our running community embodies a rich tapestry of backgrounds and experiences. Hamilton Marathon Road2Hope is unwavering in our commitment to continual education, amplifying diverse voices, and cultivating a global running community that prioritizes inclusivity and accessibility for all.

Inclusion Policy

Hamilton Marathon Road2Hope proudly celebrates and embraces the diversity of all our team members, stakeholders, event staff, volunteers, and participants. We uphold a policy that demands respect for individuals' dignity, thoughts, and beliefs, creating a secure, welcoming, and supportive environment free from discrimination, harassment, and hate. Any violation of this policy will trigger a review of the ongoing relationship between the parties involved, potentially leading to the termination of said relationship.

Pregnancy and Postpartum Deferral Policy

Anyone who is a registered participant, and is or becomes pregnant prior to race day and chooses to not participate due to such circumstances, may request a pregnancy or postpartum deferral. With this deferral, the participant may then be able to register for one of the next two subsequent years' events.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan

Our Commitment:

The Hamilton Marathon Road2Hope is committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels welcome, respected, valued and empowered to participate.

Our Objectives:

Create a welcoming, safe and respectful environment for all participants, volunteers, staff, spectators, and community partners.
Identify and reduce barriers that may prevent individuals or groups from participating.
Promote equitable access to our event.
Support diversity and representation within our running community.
Ensure individuals with disabilities have meaningful opportunities to participate.
Provide education and awareness to staff and volunteers about respectful and inclusive practices.
Establish clear expectations and accountability for behaviour at our events.

Our Actions:

Review event routes, facilities and operations to identify potential accessibilty barriers.
Welcome inquiries from athletes with disabilities, including those using adaptive equipment or mobility devices.
Work collaboratively with participants requiring accommodatons to assess reasonable and safe options for participants.
Provide clear information about course conditions, distances, elevation, timelimits, and available facilities.
Consider accessbility when planning start and finish areas, washrooms, parking, spectator zones, and other event servies.
Review opportinities to improve for athletes of varying abilities and experience levels.

Zero Tolerance Policy- Harassament & Abusive Behaviour

At the Hamilton Marathon Road2Hope, we are committed to creating a safe, welcoming, inclusive and respectful environment for everyone involved in our event.

Our race is built on community spirit, sportsmanship, and the incredible dedication of our participants, volunteers, staff, and supporters. We believe that every individual deserves to be treated with kindness, dignity, and respect.

We have a zero- tolerance policy for harassment, abuse, discrimination, intimidation, or threatening behiviour of any kind.

This policy applies to all participants, spectators, volunteers, staff, race officials, vendors, and anyone involved in our event, both on race weekend and in all event-related communications.

Unacceptable Behaviour

Examples of behaviour that will not be tolerated include, but are not limited to:

Verbal abuse, including yelling, swearing at, insulting, or belittling others.
Harassment, bullying, intimidation, or threatening behaviour.
Discriminatory comments or actions based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
Physical agression, unwanted physical contact, or threats of violence.
Abusive or inappropriate behaviour toward race volunteers, staff, officials, or fellow participants.
Harrassment through email, social media, telephone, or other event-related communication channels.

Respect Our Volunteers and Staff

Our event would not be possible without the countless hours generously contributed by our vounteers and staff.

These individuals work tirelessly to provide a safe, organized, and enjoyable race experience for everyone. They deserve to be treated with patience, courtesy, and respect at all times.

We encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses harassment or abusive behaviour to report it to event staff or race organizers.

Thank you for helping create an event that reflects the very best of our running community!

Help Us Do Better!

We know we can always improve on our current practices. We are here to listen and learn from you and your experiences. If you have any feedback or suggestions on how we can be more diverse, inclusive oand equitable, please let us know. We encourage all feedback to come to our main email address at: road2hope@runnersden.com.