iPods - should they be banned from races?

[PaulT]

Just logged on after taking part in the Bristol Half Marathon as Robert Turner's "stunt double".

Apart from the drizzle, it went pretty well... I was ticking over at steady 8-minute miles until midway through mile 12, when a lady ahead & to my left suddenly veered to the right without warning or looking - cutting right across me. I was unable to aviod clipping her heels, and she only just managed to avoid a fall. She apologised & said she hadn't seen me - that much was obvious! - but she was shouting to make herself heard over the noise of her headphones - she couldn't have heard anything, not even the wheezing Almost Athlete about to overtake her. Had she fallen, she could well have caused a few other runners to have a fall as well.

Surprisingly, this race did not ban the use of personal music players, and I reckon about 10% must have been wearing them. I understand why many people find them useful when on long, solitary training runs, but in a race? Sorry, but no, it's just not on.

The net effect was that I lost almost a minute & found it hard to get back into the groove - just missed out on dipping under 1:45...

[NickL_Admin]

ooooh big can of worms discussion that Paul.

My opinion, no.

However participants should adhere to the rules of an individual race (which may say no mp3 players) or face dq.

[DavidC]

Ran the Beacon 10K today & there was a specific mention at the start of this relatively small race that they were banned & you faced DQ.

I can totally understand that on a course with "open roads" why that is the case & I would imagine insurance cover for races is beginning to insist on it. Your trippee Paul could easily find herself under the wheels of a mini metro rather than just clipping heels with you.

Also in a race where a bit of banter & friendly nod always helps , they just seem plain rude to me . Its like "Don't bother talking to me, I'd rather catch up on some Britney" .

.....& If we are then going to move onto taking your phone with you......well just don't get me started on that one!

[EdwardC]

I saw two guys out for a training run yesterday on my way to the Angels 10k. One of them was wearing earphones! Very friendly.

I was nearly dq'ed at the Gloucester 10 mile race a few years ago for wearing earphones. I tend to take the view that people over the age of 18 should be treated as adults, and therefore take responsibility for their actions. Which is fine for a lot of races - if I'm wearing earphones and the music is so loud that I can't hear the car that's about to run me over, then I shouldn't complain/sue for compensation. Nor should I be entitled to (like the fool who burnt herself with a cup of McDonald's coffee and sued on the grounds that she should have been warned about the hot liquid). However, it's different if you then ignore other runners and endanger them. I think it ought to come down to common sense, and I have worn earphones in races, but only off-road. And I would never wear them if the organisers explicitly forbade them (I was unaware of this at the Glos 10 because it was a few years ago), yer honour.

[KarenG]

I think there is a time and place for music on a run/race - and that is not when you need to be aware of traffic noise. I think it's fine for off road, provided that the wearer stays aware of what's around them but for road races where there is likely to be passing traffic and where people congestion is a problem I can understand it being banned. what I don't agree with is that many race organisers only tell you this when you have arrived at the race, or are on the start line rather than pointing it out in bold on the race instructions sent out beforehand - as in the case of the Angels 10K yesterday. Some people don't go to the race HQ first and are at the back of the queue of runners at the start, unable to hear a word of the announcement (made without a megaphone in many cases), so would be totally unaware until actually DQ'd.

[EdwardC]

I agree with Karen, but my feeling is that gradually it will become the norm that earphones will be banned at races. My impression is that most experienced racers don't tend to wear them anyway.

[PaulT]

I agree that people should be treated as adults & that common sense should prevail - but Karen's right, if there's a ban in a specific event, it should be made clear on the entry form or in the race pack, not at the last minute.

(The majority of the snaps of the Bristol Half published today show people wearing headphones...)

Even if the lady I nearly flattened yesterday was to stand at the front of the field for the pre-race announcements, the organisers would need a PA system more suited to Led Zep to make themselves heard over her headphones.

Of course, when I were a lad, I couldn't carry my music round with me as the needle kept jumping. And Nipper wouldn't run in front of the gramophone.

[runnerdunc]

I think they should be banned from road races when the roads are not specifically closed and where there is likely to be traffic.
They are fine for off-road races and training runs on pavements, but care must still be taken.
I'm a major music fan and love music but strangely enough prefer to run without music. I like the peace, quiet and solitude if running alone and if running with friends, prefer a good chin wag!

[SteveAdams]

Whilst marshalling the Devils Chimney Chase a runner wearing headphones took a wrong turn and could not hear me calling him back. I had to run after him to get his attention, so I think that even on off road races safety can be compromised by wearing headphones.

[MattR]

I use headphones when i'm out on an early morning run on my own and trying not to think of all the good reasons for staying in bed. Tend to listen to the radio - seems to work best for me.

I guess the main reason for wearing them is to help you get into the zone and to help maximise performance, but they do affect your awareness and this can lead to collisions etc.

Races? Headphones should have a place but only if specifically permitted by the race organisers. And I agree with Karen's point that this shouldn't be a last minute announcement, but set out in the race literature beforehand. That way people would have a choice either way.

[RTT]

The problem it is not the headphones/ipods but the loudness that people use them, you can run by some people and you can hear the music louser that what one would have themselves. I like running with my ipod but the volume is not as such that I cannot hear the traffic etc. People need to look around when they are running before changing course etc. Banning them because of peoples misuse is like banning cars because of an accident.

[NickL_Admin]

The problem it is not the headphones/ipods but the loudness that people use them, you can run by some people and you can hear the music louser that what one would have themselves. I like running with my ipod but the volume is not as such that I cannot hear the traffic etc. People need to look around when they are running before changing course etc. Banning them because of peoples misuse is like banning cars because of an accident.

sadly you cannot control how loud people have their music. Instances of a few people spoiling things for the masses is essentially what is going on here. Race organisers have the right to set rules as they see fit, (as they are responsible for participants) and if that means 'no ipods' then people should respect that. The car analogy is a touch of an over-simplification I think.

[EdwardC]

The problem it is not the headphones/ipods but the loudness that people use them, you can run by some people and you can hear the music louser that what one would have themselves. I like running with my ipod but the volume is not as such that I cannot hear the traffic etc. People need to look around when they are running before changing course etc. Banning them because of peoples misuse is like banning cars because of an accident.

sadly you cannot control how loud people have their music. Instances of a few people spoiling things for the masses is essentially what is going on here. Race organisers have the right to set rules as they see fit, (as they are responsible for participants) and if that means 'no ipods' then people should respect that.

I agree. When I train on my own I always have music with me, but it's never so loud that I can't hear someone talking next to me. And anyway, if you have to leave the headphones behind for a race - well, it's only one run, isn't it