1. Type of race All competitions of calibre provide a detailed description of the course and its characteristics (tarmac, dirt track, etc). This information must obviously be implemented and improved when organizing a marathon accessible to wheelchair pushers. The type of surface along the marathon course, is of vital importance to the wheelchair pushers. Although a wheelchair designed for racing events is equipped to cope with dirt tracks, the difficulty is increased when faced with sandy surfaces and non-compact ones. In this case, the pusher would have to stop and lift both the wheelchair and its user, resulting in anxiety both for the pusher and wheelchair user, as well as a loss of time. It is important that such terrains are not present during a wheelchair friendly marathon. Architectural barriers for wheelchairs such as stairs and underground passageways, are other obstacles to be avoided. If this is impossible, alternative routes must be made available for the pushers. An inaccessible underground passageway or a few hundred meters of sandy terrain are all it would take to send the organizational efforts up in smoke. The presence of architectural barriers and the type of terrain are only two aspects which the organizing body must take into careful consideration.
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