Do they really mean it about no headphones at Manchester Marathon?

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Comments

  • Graham LGraham L ✭✭✭

    If the UKA aren't referring to Garmins and other GPS watches, what technical devices do they have in mind? Is there something else out there I could buy to improve my running  image

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    I don't personally have a problem with people using earphones, I've never found them to be more of a nuisance than most.  I've bee cut off, barged, ignored by people who AREN'T wearing them.  

    It just annoys me that so many folk do just ignore the no-earphones rules when they are in place.  It seems like arrogance to simply ignore a rule because you don't like it.

    If they DO ban Garmins, I'm going to give up racing image

  • skottyskotty ✭✭✭
    Graham L wrote (see)

    If the UKA aren't referring to Garmins and other GPS watches, what technical devices do they have in mind? Is there something else out there I could buy to improve my running  image

    boost trainers.

  • Graham L wrote (see)

    If the UKA aren't referring to Garmins and other GPS watches, what technical devices do they have in mind? Is there something else out there I could buy to improve my running  image

    compression kit?? bouncy trainers?? metronomes?? PEDs??? 

  • GraemeKGraemeK ✭✭✭

    Aaaah but what about if I only wear headphones in one ear? And how does wearing headphones differ to being deaf? They can't hear an excuse me either. Hadn't thought of THAT had you!!! image

     

    Right I'm off to get my coat now

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭
    36 posts before the deaf card was played. Not bad going for a headphones thread
  • fat buddha wrote (see)

    Wilks - could it not be covered by Rule 21.1.c?  (Assistance)

    "The use of any technical device. Athletes receiving assistance as
    defined above are liable to be disqualified."

    you could argue that music could be used as a pacing aid

    (and this throws back into the mix the use of GPS pace units like Garmins - banned or not banned??)

    That certainly seems a lot ,more applicable to GPS watches than it does headphones for music.

    I think the headphones rule is there more from a H&S or insurance point of view from the organizers rather than UKA. 

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    I tend to steer clear of rule breakers. It could be a zero tolerance approach that once relaxed quickly escalates into something more serious.

    Where I live there's a women who would clearly take one look at the 'no ipod' rule and just brush it aside with an "oh that's just silly" and go ahead regardless. When dq'ed she would argue the toss like no tomorrow.

    She drives without her kids strapped in, "because we're not going far". And parks on double yellow lines because, "I won't be long". Once to a traffic warden. "Now you're not going to give me a ticket, I'll only be a minute". 

    Oh, she told me this story. Most indignant that she couldn't reason with this stupid man. She had to move the car.

    Yea right. Mary.

    Her OH is just as relaxed. In fact the first time I met him, he was lying semi conscious over my front garden wall. Needless to say I went outside and dragged him further along the road. Last thing I want is the Police asking awkward questions.

     

    🙂

  • Run walk, with headphones. ? Nope can't see the point
  • RicF, there's a radio play in there somewhere.

  • I always do training runs with music, because i run almost exclusively on my lonesome, and I live in south london, so most of my weekly mileage is done on pavement and park where the "sounds of the city" permeate the air. Now if I lived in the mountains or by a babbling brook, I could get onboard with this idea of running without music/podcast. I'm sure it's deeply peaceful to run with just the sounds of nature for company.

    Anyway, I'm running Manchester Marathon too. If they allowed earphones I'd take mine along and listen to music during the stretches with gaps in spectators. But they don't, and i'm buggered if i'm going to get DQd after preparing for months for this race.

  • which reminds me I shoudl probably do my last 20 miler this weekend without my earphones, to get me used to it. won't quite be the same without thousands of spectators, but then as I experienced in Brighton there are likely to be some stretches without a spectator in sight (sadly in Brighton this was around mile 19-21 ish, which weaved through some power plant site or something - great planning) and it'll be useful to be able to dig in without musical "assistance".

     

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    As the headphones rule seems to be "optional"

    What are the other optional rules in races,



    The only one I know of is for runners starting in the correct pen.
  • Theres only one answer to this.... vigilantism!

    See somebody wearing headphones in an event where they have been specifically banned?
    Collectively jump them and give them a right shoeing. I assure you, they'll never break that rule again!

    Power to the people! image

  • Gazza81 wrote (see)

    Theres only one answer to this.... vigilantism!

    See somebody wearing headphones in an event where they have been specifically banned?
    Collectively jump them and give them a right shoeing. I assure you, they'll never break that rule again!

    Power to the people! image

    I think ramming their headphones up their jacksie would make the punishment fit the crime.

  • roebyroeby ✭✭✭
    Millsy1977 wrote (see)
    As the headphones rule seems to be "optional"
    What are the other optional rules in races,

    The only one I know of is for runners starting in the correct pen.

    both my peeves in one , so much so that I,ll avoid doing any larger runs and stick to fell racing .........you never see mp3,s  or starting pens , the numbers are low and the races cheaper.

  • AgentGinger wrote (see)

    I always do training runs with music, because i run almost exclusively on my lonesome, and I live in south london, so most of my weekly mileage is done on pavement and park where the "sounds of the city" permeate the air. Now if I lived in the mountains or by a babbling brook, I could get onboard with this idea of running without music/podcast. I'm sure it's deeply peaceful to run with just the sounds of nature for company.

     

    I always train without music, and I pretty much always run on my own and live on the outskirts of Stockport, so I always hear traffic, sirens etc etc.  For me, it's a safety thing, I want to hear if anyone's behind me etc etc.  But also, I think that if I can't get round a training run without music, how am I going to cope in a race.  Also, for those that do run with music, what happens if you forget to charge up your ipod or it breaks or something happens and on race day you can't use it - doesn't this affect your mojo, as you're not used to running without music??

    Now my Garmin is a different matter - I wear this to tell me how far I've been, how fast (or in my case, slow) I'm going and for the estimated calorie burn.  I'm also really sad in that I like to look at the pretty graphs on the computer when I upload my training info and compare my split times.  None of this affects my ability to hear what is going on around me in a race and I have never got in anyone's way (including a police car which was held up by a girl weaving all over the road, oblivious to what was behind her, with her earphones in!!!) and as an amateur athlete do not think that this could be enhancing my below average performance..... image  So I really hope Garmins do not get banned.

  • I'm running in a trail race this weekend that does not have a no ipod rule.

    I think i may wear mine for the second twenty as i enjoy a it of heavy bass when i'm running.  If   i come level with  another running i will take off my ear piece and have a little chat, how long depends on how well, if at all , i know the runner. Most of the time i know i'll be out on my own , i'm no threat to anyone but myself  so if i feel like a bit of Dizzy rascal then i'll go for it. 

    If another runner goes past with garmini tick tocking and showing him/her the way, i will

    still greet them respectfully. Like car drivers travelling along listening to car stereo

    while  talking to passengers , i know how to jog down a country lane without accident

    Obviously if the rules say no ipods then i would not wear one.

     

  • But for big road marathons with loads of runners and good support  i wouldn't bother with canned music

    nor would i expect anyone to wear garmins.   image

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    When I sit next to someone on the train who has loud music banging tinnily away, I really, really want to just pull out a small pair of scissors and cut the wire to the earphones.

    Never had the nerve though image

  •  would someone who can type please correct all my spelling mistake.

     

  • that doesn't apply to running along side someone 28 miles into an ultra race .

     We don't have blaring music that others can hear.

    and i wouldn't want to talk to someone( runner or not) who carried sissors to do peoples music over.

  • own up,

    who keeps nicking my letters?

    has all the music done my head in?

     

    turn it up,

    i said, turn the music up

    turn it up..

  • i say a runner on the ultra a few years ago going in the totally wrong path.......i did shout very loudly to them  ( and my voice is a tad loud)...but alas they were wearing headphones and so went totally off course..........image

  • that was me, i'm sure.

    cracking tune though.image

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Best way to deal with headfone wearers is let them get to within 100metres of the finish, and have some burly bouncer bundle them off the course.

    That'd teach em image

  • Headphones for training - yes

    Headphones for race day - no you miss out on all the banter!
  • not true, i ran the first twenty today listening to birdsong and country sounds on my ipod.

    there were too many rutted tracks and trails for group conversations as everyone needed to pay attention.  We could all see who was wearing headphones , likewise garmini,

    On the second lap with the twenty milers out of the race  most of the time i was on my own so i turned off my birdsong to chat with the dozen or so 40 milers who crossed my path constantly.  we all introduced ourselves and encouraged each other on  so many different stages of the "race" . We were all aware it was a race but that did not mean we'd be cut throating each other when the path narrowed  or the hills became like mountins. When you see a fellow athlete half a mile ahead of you  suddenly slow  because  they're tired  and you come level the first thing you do is talk to them, help them if they need it. you don't say oh you shouldn't wear a ipod/garmin .

    Bear in mind i'm talking about an ultra race that understands all runners needs, not just the mindoutthewayi'mcoming throughcrew.

     

    Don't know what sort of events some of you guys do but you all need to chill out a bit.

    If you can drive your cars at 60-70 miles an hour listening to car stereos watching the road and other traffic without causing an accident i'm sure you can handle a local run around traffic free parks or roads.

     

     

  • Trundle Forth wrote (see)
    Headphones for training - yes
    Headphones for race day - no you miss out on all the banter!

    +1 on that.......

  • with your ears free to listen to the birdsong.

    I had a Kite following me today whistling away like crazy, sounded like he was warning me about the hills ahead.   Then there was a section where shooting was going on.  BANG.

    Louder that that actually.  it made me jump.

    but they were firing at those clay birds what they make out of the earth beneath my feet

    so how could i moan at their noise when they were just using the clay i was running on ?

     

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