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MP3 player or not on race day?
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I'd say take it and use it as and when you need it - that's my bottom line. Good idea to be extra cautious and maybe have it in one ear or on low. I've only ever done one race which was a 5K and I had the support of a running buddy to chat through the pain. Running doesn't come easy to me..physically or mentally, but its the challenge that I like & it's challenging enough for me to try and get through a certain distance nevermind minus music and company. I always run with an ipod in the gym & outside. I also have my first half coming up and they haven't banned them there, so im taking mine to use as and when I need it. After that I'll gauge whether I prefer to take one with me or not, as will you
This will always be an on-going discussion, after finding out whether they are actually banned or not - it's just personal preference. If your worried about being in peoples way..just don't queue up at the front with the Speedy Gonzales..im planning on being towards the back and just working my way through...also im short sighted..so even more of a hazard 
I haven't got an MP3 player so have never tried to run with one.
A couple of obvservations though. I was marshalling a race last year on the first corner when a runner's headphones got caught on the post holding the tape up and he had to stop to untangle himself.
This year was going along at a nice steady pace in the Bristol half when the person in front of me virtually stopped to look at their MP3 player and change something on it.
Musketeer..
They need to thread the earphones under their clothes and get a remote..but this thread could go on and on..
Dogs, Gods, and MP3's
Always popular topics for debate
Listening through one ear or both? Podcast or music?
I have a 'race specific' playlist to keep me smiling through longer races so usually wear it on 10mile+ races. 'The Hives' followed by 'Girls Aloud' always seems to get me back up for those final couple of miles
.... Just because i use one doesn't mean i'm a lesseer-runner though. It's down to common-sense & courtesy isn't it? Keep the volume below drum-splitting & you can be plenty aware. There's more danger on H&S grounds when very slow runners/walkers go up to the front for their annual charity outing & spread themselves across the road in their RhinoSuits/Prison Chain/Fruit/Animal outfits etc.
I tread a quiet & lonely training route & get very bored talking to myself, so mp3 is vital for training for me.
Everyone who owns up to using an mp3 player in races always swears blind that they can hear what the marshals are saying, they are aware of what's going on, no, they don't listen to it loud and always have it turned down.
But what I've seen, time and time again, in races points to the opposite.
Blimey, this is quite a debate! It has certainly got me going! But all I will say (well, not quite all!) is this, I don't give a monkeys who thinks what about what I do, I always listen to music when I run (unless I forget my ipod - yes IPOD arent I a sinner! - or the battery runs out!). It motivates me beyond belief, I have completed training runs and races that without it I know I would have given up - and I enjoy listening to it!
Well done to you guys who are such good runners / athletes you dont need some kind of musical motivation / you never struggle that much. Music is a big part of my life and I wouldn't give it up for the world. It enhances my running / the experience when it is going well and helps me when my running is going crap!!
End of rant!
emp8 - Exactly!!- music is a big part of my life, in fact I would say it was the one thing (apart from the family - obviously) that I couldn't live without. Music helps many people through life in many ways and there is no way I would have been able to train to the extent that I do without it.
The way people behave in everyday life possibly reflects in the way they treat a race, be courtious to others and respect people, the organisers/marshalls/other runners in this case. Whether you have an ipod on or not is pretty irrelevant, many runners have cut me up or stopped in front of me suddenly just because they wanted too, which is just arrogant 'having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance out of overbearing pride' wearing an ipod doesn't affect your eye's or manners.
Just because you don't run with an ipod/mp3/4 doesn't make you more or less of a runner than anyone who does run with one.
Music on my ipod includes....
Oasis - The importance of being idle
Heather - Small Proud
REM - Shiney happy people
Pink - Just like a pill
R.Kelly - The worlds greatest - (amazing lift up tune)
Greenday - Wake me up when September ends
Kaiser Cheifs - Ruby
Snow Patro - chasing cars
Kings Of Leon - Fans
Nirvana - Smells like teen spirit
And so on...........
I'm off out for a nice 8 miler with the Archers now - seeya !
Never been able to take The Archers seriously since I heard "I'm sorry I havent a clue" on radio 4 when they asked Willie Rushton to sing "Love me tender" to the tune from the Archers. (Try it)
In the same way I've never touched a Cappacino since I first saw the last episode of Blackadder goes forth
I personaly don't give a hoot about whether people wear an MP3 player or not but a very popular runner in our region died last month and though the inquest has yet to happen, an MP3 player has been considered as the probably cause of her distraction.
In the Hampshire Road Race League the vast majority of races now ban any headphones and runners have been stopped by marshalls and told to remove them.
Traffic is becoming a major problem for races and it only takes a few complaints and one accident for a race to become untenable.
Hayling 10, one of the best 10 milers around and my PB has been cancelled because of traffic concerns this year.
MG,
My club is Overton Harriers, the person who I was refering to was based in Basingstoke.
Piers
There have been some psychological studies that give strong evidence that people wearing earphones and listening to music are more prone to 'invading the personal space' (My quotation not theirs) of others. In that context alone, even considerate people become less considerate when wearing headphones...
I'm afraid I'm for a ban in all races on roads as a minimum. It won't be long before our insurance insists on it, you can be sure of that, especially as there are insurance claims in the pipeline!
Right, so are 'they' going to ban charidee-costumes? could i sue the GNR for those that sneaked in front of me in the pens and therefore got in my way & tripped me up? .... jeez, it's called 'personal responsibility' isn't it? ..... does the car radio constitute distraction enough to put into an insurance claim against another driver?
Blimey.....well, i'm an MP3-er & will probably always use it. Not a 'selfish' thing, nor a non-purist thing....just cos, well, i like it & it just brightens me & lets me focus on something other than dull scenery/girls bums/pain in legs/spectators showering me from freezing hosepipes.
Actualy, that reminds me, must make a new playlist today.
'personal responsibility' - the responsibility of the runner to be aware of whats going on around him. Muppets with ipods on loud in both ears clearly are not aware of this.
If the race says no MP3s - then dont use them. I'm not allowed to get a pb in marathons by using my bike, but I dont complain about it ?
I've only ran in one race so far, but I read all the same arguments trying to decide whether I should bring mine along on race day or not. I'm one of those people that really need the motivation that my own music brings, so I opted to bring it and I was insanely glad I did:
I had the volume turned down so I could hear what few other people there were and the marshalls all made big hand motions to direct everyone so that was no issue. And the only muppet I came in contact with the whole day was some stupid old woman crossing the street 5 feet in front of me in the middle of the race (note: she did not have an ipod yet she was thoroughly more oblivious than I!)!
So for the OP, I'd say do what makes you comfortable, as long as you're aware of your surroundings.
"Muppets with ipods on" .... just for you cougie, i'll have a bloke with a red flag behind me so that you can spot me as a heathen/sinner and avoid at all costs.
Better still, i'll invent a 'muppet' lane so that all of us meandering, unaware fools can happily stumble over each other all day long whilst you 'proper' lot sprint away with a bounce in your step & a tut-tut to we urchins. I doff me cap to yer sir, i really do, got any spare change guv? its me arches y'see mister, fell over me 'eadphone cord i did sir...now i'm bein' sued by the 'ole of the running population sir.......though will you convieniently forget the 'distraction' argument when you switch on your car radio on the way home?
*mind you, an mp3 only lane would avoid having to listen to sanctmonious whingers like you huh?*
All in favour say "aye!"
"They're not muppets who are purposely deaf when runnintg by having megadeth blasting out at 200 decibels in both ears in order to get their legs to work. "
If the cap fits though - wear it.
Lots of love,
Cougie
Ah yes. Those who dislike mp3s puff themselves up as "real" runners and look down on the recreational plodders in earplugs.
If you can't answer the real argument, why not invent a false one and demolish that instead?
I don't listen to music when I'm running because I prefer the 'peace and quiet' - but if you want to listen to music thats your choice.
why do people worry or get heated about what other people do or don't do? each to their own I say