Use of mp3 players in marathons

breadmonkey

I was looking around for a half marathon (this will be my first) and came across the following on one event's webpage:

Please note, in the interest of safety, MP3 players and similar devices using headphones will not be allowed. You will be disqualified if you are seen to use them.

Anyone know why this would be the case? This is the event:

http://www.eventstolive.co.uk/events/information/surrey-badger-half

inmyday

Many reasons why most events don't allow earphones. The mains ones are, you can't hear stewards giving instructions. You can't hear traffic.

blockic

breadmonkey wrote: »

I was looking around for a half marathon (this will be my first) and came across the following on one event's webpage:

Anyone know why this would be the case?

It's simply a health and safety issue. If you have headphones on you will not hear stewards/marshal instructions during a race. Also if the race is not on a closed road, headphones will restrict your awareness of traffic oncoming or behind you.

You need to be aware of your surroundings. If I was you I would try and wean off the headphones during your training runs. Races are much more enjoyable without them taking in the race atmosphere and support from the crowds.

Otherwise if you are listening to music it's pretty much the same as running on your own.

PaulieC

It's for your own safety. There are lots of reasons why it's dangerous*, such as not hearing instructions from marshalls, not hearing cars etc. and race organisers are giving you fair warning.


*Not dangerous for a normal, well-adjusted individual, but you'd be surprised how few of these you see in races with headphones.

hardCopy

In case a marshal needs to give you directions or an ambulance approaches from behind you or any other emergency that requires your attention.

It's standard in triathlons.

The only time I've worn them in a race was when the Dublin Half Marathon clashed with Ireland v Australia in the Rugby World Cup. I kept them on all the way to my car and left the radio off all the way home to my UPC box.

Cartman78

Haven't had one of these threads in a while :cool:

There's always 2 extremely polar opposite camps -

1) people who simply cannot run/move forward withouth their iPod and

2) people who see iPod wearing zombies as lethal mortal death traps


Anyone fancy starting a "Men should be allowed to run in the Women's Mini Marathon" thread as well?

blockic

It's like the rapid fire response thread!

clear thinking

There may be two extreme camps. But for road racing like a marathon there's probably less risk as everyone is going the same way. However if something goes wrong and you dont react to stewards or even heads up from other runners or spectators it could go wrong for i-pod bearers.

On track i've seen sprinters rattling along on sessions @ c20mph only for i-podded morons in typical focused pose to step in front of them.

I have also read that listening to tunes reduces perceived effort so there is an advantage to doing using it; but its a toss up between looking like an eejit with wires or just a fit sleek go-faster athlete....

breadmonkey

Seems sensible enough I guess, thanks for the responses!

Ososlo

Cartman78 wrote: »

Haven't had one of these threads in a while :cool:

There's always 2 extremely polar opposite camps -

1) people who simply cannot run/move forward withouth their iPod and

2) people who see iPod wearing zombies as lethal mortal death traps


Anyone fancy starting a "Men should be allowed to run in the Women's Mini Marathon" thread as well?

why's it called a mini "marathon"? What's it got to do with a marathon? It's 10k isn't it?:P

Condo131

clear thinking wrote: »

....... But for road racing like a marathon there's probably less risk as everyone is going the same way......

1990 Dublin City Marathon, afaicr, a plonker with a walkman (remember those :rolleyes: ...naw most of you are too young :eek:), brought down 56 of us at the start, before we'd even crossed the line. I was one of the unfortunates. We were about 15 metres from the front.

Cabaal

I used my ipod for the first Half Marathon I did, up until that half marathon I listened to music during all my training and I used it during the race. I found it disconnected me from the whole event.

Since then I'm very anti headphones during events, I've seen so many close calls with runners and cars to say its a good idea at all. In addition you do miss out on the race atmosphere and the chatting with other runners.

People with headphones tend to turn into running zombies and they don't notice people around them, even if they are in people's way such as a lead from another shorter race trying to get passed people in a longer race that both take place at the same time.

LaHaine

Just to note, i always listen to music but its not loud and im aware of my surroundings. I can still hear around me. Not everyone who has earphones in turns into a deaf idiot!

nerraw1111

Condo131 wrote: »

1990 Dublin City Marathon, afaicr, a plonker with a walkman (remember those :rolleyes: ...naw most of you are too young :eek:), brought down 56 of us at the start, before we'd even crossed the line. I was one of the unfortunates. We were about 15 metres from the front.

I know walksmans were big back in that day but that is ridiculous

shels4ever

nerraw1111 wrote: »

I know walksmans were big back in that day but that is ridiculous

have a crazy feeling it maybe have been 5/6 , or that was the biggest ever recorded walkman related running incident.

Man on Fire

i wont go running unless my ipod has enough battery to last the run

Cabaal

shels4ever wrote: »

have a crazy feeling it maybe have been 5/6 , or that was the biggest ever recorded walkman related running incident.

Thats what they want you to believe,
Its all a conspiracy man, its kept under wraps by the big walkman company's. They don;t want people to know about the risks :eek:

robinph

With headphones on, however quiet you think they are, you don't know what you can't hear because, well you can't hear it.

You won't hear the sound of someone coming up behind you as you approach a bend and you then cut them up with swerving across the road to take a shorter line. Very easy for someone to be running just half a stride behind you without you seeing them, and if you are concentrating on the music then you won't be paying as much attention to what is going on in your peripheral vision.

Of course I've been cut up enough by people who are not wearing headphones in races, but a loud cough as I approach is normally enough to let them know you are there. Have been caught out too many times with people infront or behind me that I almost always look over the shoulder before making any change to my position on the road... and keep as far away from the front of drink stations as possible which is just mayhem.

Condo131

..well the walkman wasn't quite as big as nerraw suggests..LOL
There's no "/" or "or" missing. I have it on video (another blast from the past!) somewhere. The figure of 56 came from Alex Sweeney, Jim Aughney's predecessor as DCM 'head honcho'.

In the absence of the video (been planning to get a video convertor (and a video player - mine is bust)), just visualise the start of Dublin, approx. 15 metres from the front. The gun goes, the plonker with the walkman, didn't hear it (what did he think it was? 1812 overture???), thousands behind anxious not to lose a second, he went down, and the rest of us were "sucked" into the "gap", still pissed off 20 odd years later.:mad::mad::mad:

robinph

That video would be dead handy as the default response to these threads if you can find it.






Also, I'd like a laugh.

crisco10

First up, I'm a long time trainer recent racer. And I have ALWAYS listened to music/radio. I find it generally adds to my run by distracting me at that point when I'm hurting hard. (For instance, on interval number 9 on wednesday when I though my legs were going to die, Matt Cooper's discussion of Alan Shatters woes let me forget long enough to do 12 intervals.)

However, having started to do more races (with headphones on), I find they do disconnect you from the "event" somewhat. Even before considering the potential for incident.

It's a tough one, I would struggle without them but sometimes I don't want to wear them.

I was thinking of stopping to wear them on my easy runs and see what happens.

PS: I have also always steered away from top class "noise cancelling" headphones and such. Completly agree that that level of disconnect is dangerous/reckless. I tend toward cheap €10 headphones that let lots of surrounding noise in, and if you turn the volume up to loud, the tinny noise hurts!

Condo131

For another laugh, from 1985/86,...there's another one of me...ejecting "substance" from my nostril.....wife gave out murder about that! "How could you do that on telly!!??", as she hung her head in shame....

But, yeah, must dig those videos out! I'm sure the DCM crowd must have the video...they had a major investigation after the incident.

RoyMcC

Man on Fire wrote: »

i wont go running unless my ipod has enough battery to last the run

Care to explain why?

Cartman78

Condo131 wrote: »

..well the walkman wasn't quite as big as nerraw suggests..LOL
There's no "/" or "or" missing. I have it on video (another blast from the past!) somewhere. The figure of 56 came from Alex Sweeney, Jim Aughney's predecessor as DCM 'head honcho'.

In the absence of the video (been planning to get a video convertor (and a video player - mine is bust)), just visualise the start of Dublin, approx. 15 metres from the front. The gun goes, the plonker with the walkman, didn't hear it (what did he think it was? 1812 overture???), thousands behind anxious not to lose a second, he went down, and the rest of us were "sucked" into the "gap", still pissed off 20 odd years later.:mad::mad::mad:

I'd say the Walkman itself probably wasn't the main cause of the accident.....I have visions of people tripping over the massive bag of tapes and boxes of batteries that the guy would have needed to keep himself entertained for the length of a marathon

BobMc

I wear mp3 for training, generally only the one ear in though, have worn for a half mara too, but 10k never, and again only one ear in, with big crowds at some 10k these days and some folks wearing full on over ear phones one making some people completely oblivious to surroundings

TFBubendorfer

I wore an mp3 player for my first marathon and as a result I completely missed out on the buzz of the race and did not hear any of the spectators shouting encouragement from the sidelines. I never made that mistake again.

And, last year in Connemara I pulled one guy listening to his mp3 from the side of the road where he blocked the ambulance coming through, completely oblivious that he was blocking them. He also was completely unaware that everyone else was on the left side of the road while he was the only one on the right.

Lastly, I have yet to encounter an mp3 wearer who does not swear that he is completely aware of his surroundings, despite all the incidents they are causing.

tunguska

Condo131 wrote: »

1990 Dublin City Marathon, afaicr, a plonker with a walkman (remember those :rolleyes: ...naw most of you are too young :eek:), brought down 56 of us at the start, before we'd even crossed the line. I was one of the unfortunates. We were about 15 metres from the front.

Best laugh I've had all week. I can just picture it: lads with dunnes stores runners and Spandau Ballet quiffs hitting the deck all over the shop.

ASIMON0V

Just to be a contrarian; I brought an ipod (and ditched the watch) on my last marathon in rotterdam; It worked out really well for me and added to the experience. I made a compilation the night before when in the hotel. I didn't wear it the whole time; i think i wore it somewhere between say 10k - 25k - can't really remember. At that stage there wasn't much talk or interaction - once it was time to get focused i took it off. Definitely worth a spin once if you like to listen to music when you run. That said - i could have a trail of destruction in my wake but i didn't notice it and there was no evidence on the video.

event

I dont listen to music myself, trained without it this year and found I didnt need it at all.
I read and interview with Gary O Hanlon in the local paper a while back and he said h always listens to music in races, cant go without it. He's won 3 marathons ( as well as a few shorter distances) this year so it cant affect you that much

Ososlo

event wrote: »

I dont listen to music myself, trained without it this year and found I didnt need it at all.
I read and interview with Gary O Hanlon in the local paper a while back and he said h always listens to music in races, cant go without it. He's won 3 marathons ( as well as a few shorter distances) this year so it cant affect you that much

really? that's very surprising. I've seen him cross the finish line in a few races. He must have them very well disguised.

Condo131

tunguska wrote: »

Best laugh I've had all week. I can just picture it: lads with dunnes stores runners and Spandau Ballet quiffs hitting the deck all over the shop.

Now, now, a bit too much imagination!!.....as regards the runners...Adidas Oregons were all the rage......before that it was Woolworths 'rubber dollies' :rolleyes:

blockic

event wrote: »

I read and interview with Gary O Hanlon in the local paper a while back and he said h always listens to music in races

Are ya sure he wasn't on about the music by the bands on the route? :P

I'd be very very surprised if this was the case. Whenever I've seen him in a race headphones are nowhere to be seen.

Ron Scott

There was a guy running in the Bandon half recently who had the speaker on his iphone on and was blaring out his own music, he was driving people around him nuts. I'd rather he wore the flippin headphones.

pistol_75

blockic wrote: »

Are ya sure he wasn't on about the music by the bands on the route? :P

I'd be very very surprised if this was the case. Whenever I've seen him in a race headphones are nowhere to be seen.

The only accessory you'll see on Gary during races is his €10 Casio stopwatch.

Cartman78

Ron Scott wrote: »

There was a guy running in the Bandon half recently who had the speaker on his iphone on and was blaring out his own music, he was driving people around him nuts. I'd rather he wore the flippin headphones.

That's up there with people who insist on having their heart rate monitor zone alarms on full blast during races - loud beeps every 10-15 seconds over the course of a few miles will actually drive you crazy if you're stuck at the same pace as them.

ncmc

I can see both points of view on this, I listened to music on ALL my runs last year and thought there was no way I could do a long run with out my Ipod. I have listened to an Ipod in races in the past, Cork to Cobh being one, I wouldn’t have the music very loud though and would be aware of my surroundings and be able to hear what was going on around me. I always make sure to check around me (whether wearing headphones or not) to make sure I’m not in someones way before moving off my line or overtaking. I brought my Ipod strapped to my belt to DCM (against all advice) and it snapped off my belt on O’Connell St! Bye, bye Ipod, was unable to retrieve it due to the crowds coming behind me. As it happened, I didn’t miss it at all during the race and really enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere.

Since then, I have tried to do more long runs without the Ipod, I tend to listen to audio books rather than music as I find that music starts to bug me after a while. I don’t listen to the Ipod any more in races. I find most have banned them anyway. I enjoy the atmosphere, chat to people around me and day dream about crossing the finish line!

robinph

I have started to listen to some podcasts, such as Marathon Talk and the parkrun show, whilst out training lately. So I am coming round to the idea of listening to stuff whilst running, but never in a race.

event

Ososlo wrote: »

really? that's very surprising. I've seen him cross the finish line in a few races. He must have them very well disguised.

Yea I know, I was shocked too. Maybe the interviewer made it up or it was a misquote, but it was there in black and white.
was in the dundalk democrat about a month ago, every week they do a wee column with local athletes

TFBubendorfer

event wrote: »

Yea I know, I was shocked too. Maybe the interviewer made it up or it was a misquote, but it was there in black and white.

I just had a look at GOH's facebook page. There are dozens of race photos of him and in none of them can I spot any sign of an mp3 player.

Can we put that one to rest now, please? Fact is, if the organisers specifically state that mp3 players are not allowed, it should be common courtesy to respect their wishes and leave them at home. There should not even be a discussion about this, never mind one every 2 months.

Satanta

In the early days of my running unused mp3s to kind of keep me company on runs. In the dcm last year my headphones broke early on, and I'm glad they did. I've ran a few times since listening to podcasts and so on but mainly I go without.

I'd recommend going without. Certaintly in races. There is enough to keep you going. Even in training the last evening I ran an hour and forty and enjoyed every minute and there was just me and the road and my thoughts.

It might not be for everyone, but I van now say that running alone with yourself and your thoughts is the greatest thing I have discovered. And I once couldbt have imagined it. Try it!

event

I found it that you knew exactly how long you were out if I had music. Like id be listening to an album and hit track 8, knowing thats exactly 40 mins or whatever. That was a bit annoying.

I also find it lets you clear your head. My mind just wanders now, I find the run goes by in no time

martyboy48

MP3s/Headphones... NOT in races, and as far as training goes, only in recovery/LSR's.. I wear them as stated as I found that when I wore them in dedicated sessions, my concentration lapsed a lot and found myself easing up a lot instead of maintaining/increasing pace ect... Never wore them in any race, not a place for them IMHO. Maybe in the future when I conquer my pacing i'll wear them more, but for now, I'll just wear them on occasion...

vitani

I stopped wearing them about two weeks ago. Because I always wore them in training, I was finding it hard to race without them so decided to try and train without to see if I found it mentally easier during races.

Since stopping, my log has resembled something Pollyanna would write. I've had some of the most enjoyable training sessions since I first took up running. I definitely needed music when I first started - I used to find the gaps between songs tough - but I don't miss it at all since stopping.

And as a woman on my owwwn, I feel a lot safer without headphones as I'm more aware of what's around me.

chinguetti

I did the Calcutta Run (10k) this morning and one runner remarked to me that everyone else around us was wired for sound which was true after i had a look around.

Later as i came round the last bend, the guy in front of me drifted out in front of me, forcing me into a line of moving traffic. He didn't even know i was there despite my shouts at him. However, he did know when i ran up besides him to tell him to take them off or words to that effect.

Headphones in training are fine, in a race there are dangerous and are an accident waiting to happen to the wearer or someone else behind them. If a bad incident in a race happens due to someone wearing headphones, that will have a knock on effect on all races due to costs of insurance.

Mr Bloat

I listened to music since my first run of a C25K plan last year and thought I would never be able to run without music. I'm currently training for the half marathon in Cork next week and saw on the website that they recommend that headphones not be worn, so I decided to run a few times without music to see how I would get on. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. My running feels a lot more natural now and I'm enjoying the 'clear head' feeling of running with just my thoughts.
I would advise anyone using headphones to leave them at home a few times to see how you get on without them.

Bbrunnin

Hi i wear headphones too ,but lately i find my ears are popping mad even when i have no music on v annoying.also you are really awear of your breathing when not wearing them.which is a good thing , doing the half in cork aswell but going to leave them off as long as poss. Feel its like braking a bad habit - hard to do