Ipods - Advice wanted

I have decided to try for the Edinburgh marathon this year  - one of these things that I have always wanted to do and I figure that I am not getting any younger.

I am starting the serious training this week. I have two friends who are running coaches who are going to help me with training  / motivation.

One thing I do need is music, I need a soundtrack for my training.

I am thinking of buying a Ipod from Tesco Direct.

Anybody got any reasons why I should not? Will it be ok for running? Exercise wont damage it will it? Any particular model better than others?

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Comments

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    You don't need music.  It seems you have managed without until now?

    Don't forget that the use of iPods and MP3s during the race itself is banned, so you'll have to manage without then.

  • *gets Pringles*

    Coffee, Wilkie? image

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    Ta, LB! image

    Got any shortbread?

  • No - but I have an iPod we can listen to.image
  • Ian MIan M ✭✭✭
    Anybody got any reasons why I should not?

    Yep, Tesco direct are crap.
  • I had an iPod, and I bought the Nike+ thingy to go with it. Had it about 2 months when it died one day while I was doing a half marathon. Took it back to the store and they sent it off for repair.

     Came back saying that it was water damaged so not covered by the warranty. Who could have predicted that sweat would be a by product of exercise? image

    Apple - Marketing overpriced shit as an aid to exercise when it can be damaged by sweat.

  • I have to admit to cheating a bit with running.

    I combine playing football with running. When we do distance running their is a group of us and a coach who has seen to many Rocky films doing his best to encourage us in his own unique way.

     Also train with the territorials. I have very seldom ran on my own. When I swim distances I usually 'mentally' sing to myself counting down lengths.

     I take that there is no way i can disguise it as a hearing aid during the race? image

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    You can 'mentally' sing to yourself while running, too.   I do it all the time image

    One earpiece each, LB?

  • I use Nike+ when running. It's ace. It's not for anyone else to tell you whether you need music to run to. I do, and anyone that says otherwise can, frankly, sod off. I don't want to listen to the sound of the countryside. I don't want to chat with people while I'm running. I don't block other people. I don't get caught up in traffic.

    @Liverbird - pass the Pringles 'round.

  • /members/images/546612/Gallery/canofworms.jpeg

    ipod shuffle 5th gen is what you require my friend.

  • Wilkie wrote (see)

    You can 'mentally' sing to yourself while running, too.   I do it all the time image

    One earpiece each, LB?

    The voices..no.. not the voices again...arrrhhhggggg.
  • Intermanaut wrote (see)
    I use Nike+ when running. It's ace. It's not for anyone else to tell you whether you need music to run to. I do, and anyone that says otherwise can, frankly, sod off. I don't want to listen to the sound of the countryside. I don't want to chat with people while I'm running. I don't block other people. I don't get caught up in traffic. @Liverbird - pass the Pringles 'round.
    Homage to the apple.....omm.....omm....
  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭

    Get the one used in the duracell advert... have you seen how fast it makes that bloke run?!!

    I dont use one myself in training or races, but I would suggest maybe not splashing out on expensive apple stuff as what happens if it rains when you are out training/racing? gets sweat damaged? drop it whilst out training? drop it during the marathon (you wont be getting that back in one peice I dont think!). Maybe worth a cheaper MP3 player and invest a little bit more in comfortable earphones? Just a thought. Good luck in your marathon.

    WiB

  • I wouldnt be without my Iphone or Nano whilst out training, would never use in a race though. As for water/sweat proofing I put mine in a food bag before it goes into my pocket, never had a problem yet.
  • Had all kinds of problems with my Ipod Touch and Nike+ setup. Now using my smartphone (HTC Wildfire) which tracks my runs via GPS while listening to music through it. The phone is small and light and sits nicely in an armband....

  • I don't use anything. I'm old school.

    I'm surprised I run in shoes.image

  • yer majyer maj ✭✭✭
    I have never once ever listened to music when running. Does this mean I am not doing it properly?

    Worried of Cardiff.
  • Naah Roger Bannister did well enough without so much as a ghetto blaster.
  • I have always used an Ipod when training, I had the original nano then upgraded to the Ipod touch about a year ago, both have worked fine in good, bad and terrible weather even sub zero temp.

    I use an armband that has a case that attaches with a clip not sure of the make, this keeps it of your arm so sweat dose not get in the back, but even when its been poring with rain its never given me any problems. The only thing I read was that to get an Ipod with flash memory (nano, touch or shuffle) as the ones with large hard drives can get damaged due to the bouncing around when you run.

  • Hi all,

    Firstly I echo the "sod off" comments about people telling you that you should or shouldn't run with music, it's personal preference. Personally I always do, it makes a massive difference to me, it's motivating, lifts my spirits and has become a big fun element of my training (as in picking and mixing up playlists etc).

    FYI - I run with an iPhone using Nike+GPS or Runkeeper. Simply stick it in my pocket and have had no problems.

    However I too am running Edinburgh as my first Marathon, I'm really quite worried about the ban on mp3's as it's such a big part of my running, it's not only the music but the audio cues it gives me of my pace etc. Without it I'm not sure I could handle 26.2 miles.

    Does anyone know if it's a strict ban? Will they make you remove them or will it be more lenient? If not I'm going to have to invest in a GPS watch and get used to training silently!!

    Jelly Belly
  • Matt Bell 8 wrote (see)
    Without it I'm not sure I could handle 26.2 miles.

    Really? Why?

  • Whilst I don't agree with wearing an MP3 in a race I do occasionally wear one on a long run.  I'd definitely recommend a Sansa Clip - linky thing - bloody good value compared to iPods and no need to use the dreaded iTunes to load your music.
  • M-JM-J ✭✭✭

    As a beginner last year I wa using music to run to all the time- I couldn't run without it- more of a comfort blanket I guess. However during the Chippenham Hm last year I couldn't hear the crowds, marshalls  etc...so ditched the ipod. I have run without music ever since and feel liberated image. However I can understand why people would use them for LSR's on their own but so far I haven't succumbed. I enjoy listening to my own thoughts too much! Currently up to 15 miles on LSR's for VLM taraining and I'm not missing the ipod. I'm more in tune to what's going on around me... traffic, people with their uncontrollable dogs, not to mention listening to my breathing. Alot of my week day training is in the dark so an ipod would be a disaster safety wise but am still suprised with the amount of people that use music running in the dark. I would have thought safety would be compromised.

    Oh...and as someone else said after the HM my ipod shuffle wouldn't work for a while...sweat damage!

  • I've got an ipod shuffle but don't like it as it won't play a mixture of music and podcasts. The Creative Zen Stone which I had previously was great. It's similar to the shuffle but lets you flick between albums (or folders). Next time I won't drop it in the toilet!
  • Horses for courses and I prefer to run to music. If you use a case, the sweat shouldn't damage it. In cold weather you might want touch screen gloves from someone like eglove to use it. Racing brings a buzz so you are more likely to survive without music, training is another thing and anything that can make it more interesting is good for me. Good luck
  • I use an Ipod Touch all the time in training. I put in in the Belkin armband which prevents the majority of sweat getting in & have had no problems with it in all weathers. The earphones, however, were a completely different story, I went through 2 pairs of the apple ones before I replaced them with Sennheiser sports ones which are streets ahead & still going strong

  • I bought the new ipod nano and also only had it a couple of months before it stopped working and it was sent off and I was told it was liquid damaged and this invalidated the warranty.  I bought it from Tesco Direct and thought they would honour our agreement and replace it for me, but all they have done is send it off again.  If it comes back with the same report I dont know what to do - I cant afford to pay out another £130.  The only way it could have got liquid damage is through sweat and if that's the case, Apple shouldnt market it at the exercise market or at least it should come with a warning.

    Worried too now about the ban on mp3 players at the Edinburgh Marathon - I always run with music and also dont know how I would manage without it during a marathon.

    Does anyone know how stringent the organisers are?  I mean surely, they cant pull you out of the crowd and disqualify you from the race?

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