This storyvia fark is about a woman who lost her Marathon win (and $ 500 prize) due to using an iPod in violation of the rules. In reading the Fark remarks it seems that runners in competions who use iPods and related musical devices are potentially hazards and annoyances to the other runners as they can’t hear other runners coming through or approaches and so don’t know to move over.
In non-casual competitive running are runners who use iPods being self absorbed douchebags endangering other competitors? Fark comments
Depending on the size of the race, the course may not be closed to vehicular traffic.
Smaller races can’t afford to pay to close roads/have police control but rely on volunteers or the runners using bike lanes or footpaths shared with walkers and cyclists.
In larger races, you need to be aware of the runners around you as it can be very crowded.
What I don’t really understand is why they have this rule for the elite competitors but not everybody else. Are elite runners in more danger of running into other people or causing other problems due to listening to an iPod? (This is a serious question; is there something about being at the front of the pack that somehow makes this more dangerous?) It seems like if you’re going to ban iPods, you should ban them for everybody.
Huh, interesting. I just saw in the article that for this particular race, they were banned for elites but not for regular runners and thought that was weird.
Personally speaking, I usually run with an mp3 player when I’m out and about (I leave one ear uncovered and the volume relatively low so I can hear my environment) but for my recent race I left it at home, just because I really, really didn’t want to accidentally trip another runner or anything like that.
I read the Fark thread and it seems only the elite runners are allowed to actually win. So the non-elite runners could use technology to communicate with a coach, pace properly and finish first but they would not actually win and would get no prize money. But since the elite runners can win and receive prize money they are not allowed any possible communication devices or other help.
I usually run with an iPod both in my training runs and during races (5Ks and an 8K – I’m doing a 15K at the beginning of November). I cannot possibly imagine having the volume up so high that I had no awareness of my environment – not hearing car horns, people shouting directions, etc. I keep the volume so low that I can hear my shoes hitting the pavement, and clearly eavesdrop on conversations around me. And sometimes, I just want to run without music.
To respond to the question: In non-casual competitive running are runners who use iPods being self absorbed douchebags endangering other competitors? – sure, some of them may be. But there are also plenty of iPod-less casual runners who weave all over the path/sidewalk/course, stop directly in front of you to tie a shoe or take a drink, or otherwise distract and cause other issues.
I’m a newbie runner (just started this year) and I wear my iPod all the time. I also keep very aware of my surroundings and make sure that I can hear what’s going on around me. So far I’ve never been in a race (I’ve only done 5K & 10K’s so far) where headphones have been banned. I’m in Canada but I’m doing the 13K Tower of Terror at Disney in a couple of weeks and I don’t see anything about not allowing headphones there.
Answering the OP’s question: In non-casual competitive running are runners who use iPods being self absorbed douchebags endangering other competitors? - not that I’ve ever seen.
This. I’ve been in crowded races where you absolutely need to be able to hear someone behind you calling out: “passing left”.
Getting your legs snarled into even a mild trip-and-fall can mean a season-ending injury. I’m out for this season because a runner who was zoned out and enjoying her tunes tripped up me and another runner. I hyper-extended my knee and almost had to cancel my summer vacation (required back country hiking), the other tripped runner got some seriously ugly road rash on her knees and palms and had to go off to first-aid, the headphone wearing runner turned her ankle, but was able to rejoin the race walking it off.
I think banning iPods is good in competitive situations, especially in marathons. If it’s an especially popular marathon, like Chicago, there can be upwards of 40,000 people, and those are just the runners.
And I don’t think that elite runners are any more douchey than your average Joe, but they’re generally out to make a specific time and are probably already more focused on doing that. I doubt they’ll take out amateur runners to do that, but many will take whatever path around a slower runner they can.
I’ve been running for about 18 years (since I began high school) and I rarely use my iPod outside unless it’s a closed circuit, like a track or something. And even then, I usually only use it if there aren’t any people. I don’t like the idea of not knowing who or what is nearby.
I’m surprised that iPods and the like are banned in all races, at all levels. Not that I have anything against them really - I run fast enough to be out of the crowds in all but the biggest races. But out here, the races can’t get insurance unless iPods are banned.
I wouldn’t call them self-absorbed douchebags but in my limited experience it’s just common courtesy to give people room to pass when you hear them approaching. (The ‘self-absorbed douchebag’ label I’d reserve for the people who run in a group that’s effectively acting as a plug.)