Sound vs Silence

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  • I don't think we should label all I-Pod users with this same negative personna, I use my headphones now and then, I use a sensible volume level and I always look around to see where everybody else is, to be honest I take more care when I have my headphones on when I run without them.
  • I find it hard to believe that anyway can actually physically knock into someone else and not notice it - headphones or not.
  • Can't beleive RW have voluntarily opened this perenial can of worms, have they not read the 50 or so existing threads on this subject?! image

    I'm a confirmed non-Ipod wearer, for lots of reasons, most already mentioned on here.

    Absolutely each to their own though, unless it affects other people, which is likely to be the case in races so people really should respect the wishes of race organisers if they are requested not to wear headphones on that occasion.

    I'd be rather sceptical of any research sponsored by Nike, which just happened to confirm that music does indeed help with running - whatever evidence that was based on!!

  • HM4HM4 ✭✭✭

    I'm a 50/50 person with this one and I've ever posted on these type of threads before because I know it's down to personal choice.

    I usually can take or leave them in training depending on what mood I'm in but never use them in races.  I did my first marathon last year and on all the long runs I deliberately didn't use my mp3.  When I'm training and use my mp3 I'll always acknowledge other runners (which is more than I can say for some runners I've seen with earphones in my home town) and when it comes to crossing roads I'll always take one earphone out about 50m before I get to the crossing.

    I find that when things are going okay listening to music in training is great, however if I want to concentrate on my breathing I find that music is a distraction.  But then if I find I need a lift on a session the right music helps me. 

  • WEll first of all I would like to add that for me music is not a DISTRACTION it is an enhancement.  And secondly  mutley are you saying I am lying when I say I only use one headphone? In fact have merrily ran races forgetting I had the damn thing in because I only paid attention to the music when alone on a barren stretch of road.

    I do a lot of big busy races and for that reason am very careful at the start (hence the one headphone) but also i have not reallly ever been bumped into much ever (maybe I am staggering around oblivious as suggested by an earlier poster).

    Why get so worked up guys - honestly is it that big a deal? 

  • I have no problem with people wearing iPods during training. We all know the safety risks and it's up to the individual. However, in competetive races iPods should be banned. After all this is a SPORT and an olympic one at that. I wonder how many iPods will be worn this summer at the olympics? They'll probably be worn quite a lot during training, or on the coach to the stadium, or even warming up, but never during an event. Please, if you consider yourself an athlete, act like one.
  • If it only took me 2 and a half hours to run a marathon I probably wouldn't need any music.  HOWEVER.............................

  • I use my ipod when training with music when on my own and without music when running with others. I have raced twice with music, the first intentionaly which went ok until a morrissey track came on, the second time by accident as I hadn't selected correctly. Both times I PB'd. (sob 90 for an HM and sub 40 for a 10k).I use an ipod to help me set a pace as I am unable to judge my pace without my ipod effectively. I don't normally chat when racing as I like to focus in my race. Someone made a point about footballers etc not needing to listen to music as they are aledgedly playing a team sport I don't think it's a relavent point. If we start banning those who wear ipods in races then can we also disqualify people who start in the wrong place or those that spit to oneside or those who don't wear fancy racing gear? I started running and enjoy racing as I find it an all inclusive sport so if people are restricted by how they choose to run then I'm not sure I want to be a part of it any more.
  • I discovered running in my late 30s. It is one of the few activities that constrains you to time or place. The freedom of setting off whenever you like, for however long you wish wearing whatever is only part of why I love my running. In the early days a bunch of chavs started shouting abuse at me. I avoided certain routes unti I discovered the iPod. It saved my life!!!!!

    If you live in an urban built up area where there are bound to be chavs the only way of escaping to the country is to climb into a car...I'm no eco warrior but it does seem to defeat the object. Slipping on my earphones I can climb into a world where I can shut out the sound of the morons. This is how I got addicted.

    In races wearing my iPod means that I can pace myself and not listen to the repetitive noise of my breathing. I can still sort my head out and could not imagine running without it. If iPods/MP3 players were banned I'd be devastated. I totally agree with Postie "if people are restricted by how they choose to run then I'm not sure I want to be a part of it any more."

    The world is becoming a nanny state..banning this and enforcing that. Leave people who wish to keep healthy by running with their personal music ALONE!

  • Well said Wendy - I have never seen so much negative views about one topic and now I feel hated because I like to wear an iPod while I run.

    I love the fact that everyone who uses an iPod are classed as careless runners because they are not aware of their surroundings. I would personally say that I am aware of them and am deeply insulted to be told I am inconsiderate because of a few runners.

    I also find it quite appalling that it's only music listening runners that appears to tarred as bad runners, when I personally seen runners who don't listen to music running out on the roads without looking and also have bad manners. But I am not tarring everyone with the same brush. At the end of the day it is that individuals personality not the running community as a whole.

    For me when I am on my own, I will listen to an iPod. And since the only time I run with people is while I am doing races that means I listen to my iPod a lot. I tend to listen to dance music with a fast beat, and I do think it has helped, because I can pace myself to the tune. If I want to go slower then I will stick a slower tune on.

  • It's refreshing to hear your view Scottish Mike. One of the few times I took my earphones off was last month in the Loch Leven 1/2 marathon...why you may say...because the Perth road runners who I joined were a friendly bunch who actually made running with a pack a pleasure. We exchanged lots of good banter and I didn't notice the miles slipping by. The tranquil countryside made it all the more pleasurable. Unfortunately I live in the North of England, very urban, full of cars and the local running club want to ban iPods.

    Faithfulred said "After all this is a SPORT and an olympic one at that. I wonder how many iPods will be worn this summer at the olympics? "....One thing I love about races like the Loch Levan 1/2 marathon is that they are NOT elitist and there were not many olympic runners at that event either. Most runners are not Elite runners.

    I now purposefully avoid overcrowded events like the recent Great Manchester 10K (30, 000 participants) not because of the danger of iPods but because of elbows, stray drinks bottles, overpricing, overhyping and lack of scenery. Will be in Scotland again next year..with my iPod.

  • Just one question - how do you get your earphones to stay in? I cant even manage it when staionary!
  • I don't have proper ears. Conventional earphones are built for normal ears so perhaps yours are shaped like mine. I invested in some German ones Sennheisser which have little bendy hooks which can be moulded to the back of your ears.
  • Wendy - Your local running club sounds like the reason why I don't want to join one.

    I am not a confident person when it comes to meeting new people, so joining a running club scares the hell out of me. I just have the feeling I will be left at the back, no-one will talk to me because they take it all seriously, and will look down to me because I am not serious  enough. And your local running club proves that. Without wanting to be arsey - Olympics is way different to a training session with the running club so they shouldn't compare something that is totally different IMO.

    And just because of the way I run I probably wouldn't use an iPod because I would be running with people. Unless they left me at the back, and then I would use one.

     But because of my stubborn streak, I wouldn't join the club out of spite as I wouldn't want to be associated to it

  • Running clubs vary Mike.  I was saying to someone yesterday that out of 3 clubs I have used the friendliness has fallen in direct relationship with the obvious competitiveness. However it was mainly because the unfriendliest club had the fewer members and they were the ones who took it all so seriously........... not because the friendliest club didn't have very good, competitive runners - they were just more modest and supportive of all levels

    I would never wear one to club because I only go to the club to run with others and chat. How can they ban them (other than at club which doesn't seem that unreasonable to me )?  

    Regarding the issue of it being a competitive sport (likened to the Olympics) ?   Yes running is time bound but many runners run for stress relief, relaxation, general fitness etc    To compare the thousands of runners at all levels to Olympic competitors seems a bit pretentious to me.

    Cycling is a sport at all levels - the many cyclists you see around  - should they observe Tour de France etiquette

    (are there enough drugs to cope with that demand ?) 

  • I know this has opened a can or worms, but isnt that what they want, good discussions, and different opinions, to see all the views on the matter, they wouldnt choose somthing that was plainly not a hot thread!

    I use iphone ha said it, same as an ipod, but you get calls through it too! and I know what your all going to say, oh my god calls on a run, but I am a busy woman and if people need to get hold of me so be it, also its safer, If I get injured I have a phone, or attacked, I have a phone.  

    Anyways, I ran with my music at the London Marathon, earphones dont go on till their is more space, well that didnt take long as I was in the elite ladies box, I was in a group, of 4 and one lady decided she was going to stop and didnt care about anyone else, she ran into me, she was not wearing earphones, so their you go, if people are going to be rude like that they will even if wearing earphones or not.

    Now some races I dont wear them, like fell races or trail races, you need to concentrate really hard on these races, so any other distractions would be lethal, my opinion only! this works for me,

    I train with earphones, I dont do short races with them, but I do long races with them, I just think it helps with my pace keeping.  But I will run once  a week without them just so I know I can run without the music.

    I think everyone should have a choice, but use common sense, dont put your headphones on at the start of a busy race, listen when it thins out!

    imageimageimage

  • slo shoslo sho ✭✭✭

    "The local running club want to ban iPods"

    Quite apart from anything else I think it's bad manners to wear an iPod on a group run - you are deliberately shutting yourself off form the rest of the group.  I don't ban iPods when I'm leading a group run (though I do when I'm actually coaching), but I do advise runners that they need to be able to hear my instructions. 

    Btw I do use an iPod if I'm running on my own - just not when racing or when running in a group. 

  • and can somone tell me who are going to police the 30,000 at the manchester 10k,   hey, they go on so much about how it costs a fortune to organise races in the city centres etc , and the price of policing, etc, so whos going to physically take ipods off runners, dare they try and take mine, I tell you!!!!!imageimage
  • Why the hell would anyone want to join a running club and then run with them with their ipod on anyway ? Its madness !
  • BarklesBarkles ✭✭✭

    If I run alone, it's with my muvo on, I find that the music helps me get into a rythmn, particularly in the first ten - twenty minutes...

    if running with someone else, I don't bother cos the chat is usually better than listening to Moby! image

  • If listening to music is making people crash into eachother at races (which I doubt) might I suggest that we try to ban car stereos as well?
  • ................... with ear pieces as well? yes
  • mattyf,  good point,  

    I dont know anyone that runs with someone else and listens to music, I run with some social runners 3 times a week, as additional mileage for me, and I dont listen to music, we chat, and it's good to be able to do my hard sessions with music, and recovery runs, and some extra slower runs with friends, I get the best of all worlds,

    I am not sure why some people are so narrow minded with this it's a bit like discussing the fact that women should run in skirts not shorts!  its a matter of choice, and I am sure their are people out there that would say it is dangerous to run in a skirt!   and on this matter why is it in charity races people can run around a city wearing next to nothing, If I walked into a city centre wearing a g string and v small bra, I am sure to be arrested, isnt this dangerous???

  • We wear earpieces to enable ourselves to talk on the phone in a car!!!!!

    Legally !

  • Husky, why don't you listen to your music when out running with friends ............................... is it because you wouldn't be able to hear them clearly?

  • MuttleyMuttley ✭✭✭
    Not quite sure what relevance the comparison to short skirts and bras has, but I'm willing to listen ... image
  • pizza man,      why do you need to listen to nobody clearly when your on your own??  I dont regularly partake in conversation in races, if so I am not racing am I, I would be a fun runner if  I can talk in races, push yourself a bit harder maybe!!

    Look I am not on hear for an argument, I just dont understand why it needs to be so black and white, if you were deaf, would you not be allowed to run in races???? 

  • Nothing is black and white, totaly agree.

    I just feel that listening to music in races could cause problems

    Enjoy your running however you choose to do itimage

  • Wow,

    I have only dipped into this thread and can't believe how angry some people seem.  Surely the whole point of this is that it is a personal choice.  If you choose to run without an ipod, then fine, if you choose to run with one (I do, and quite frankly I LOVE IT!) then fine again. 

    Surely we are all grown up's (though I doubt it reading some of these threads) and as long as we are considerate to other runners, then there really shouldn't be a problem. 

    If I know I am going to train with others, then I don't wear mine (my choice) as we like to chat, but if I am running by myself, I do. 

    I really don't see the problem.

  • If Paul wears her i-pod at the Olympics do you think it would take her mind off her hip pain? image

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