“But Officer, It’s Just an iPod”
By Tim Long
Three miles into a run, warmed up to a smooth stride, foot strikes in time with every other beat of the fast techno song pouring through your iPod; you’re in the zone. What could possibly be wrong with that? Well, a lot of things according to some who oppose the use of mp3 players not only during races, but also just out for your after work de-stress run.
I know a few of those “purists”. One actually emailed me one afternoon after seeing me earlier that day with headphones on while running. I won’t mention any names (Chaz), but his email said something like, “Please don’t tell me you’re one of those people.”
I’m not one of those people, or rather, I guess I am. But I’m also one of the other people who understand the dangers of listening to music while running on roads and in races. I’d say on average I probably listen to my iPod while running less than five times in a year. That’s only five out of 300 runs. I don’t think it’s right or wrong. I just love to hear and feel my breathing, my foot strikes, the different sounds of the various surfaces I’m running over, etc. I attain a much higher level of focus and zen-like experience without any technical gadgets, especially a distracting iPod. Why on those five runs then do I choose to wear one? I do it for much of the same reasons as everyone else… motivation. Knowing I need to get out for a hill workout and not being in the mood for it, I’ll grab the music. It helps. Thankfully, I love to run so much that it’s very rare to need any motivation other than a clean pair of socks.
I’d like to hear opinions on this issue from others. I know some people feel pretty strongly about it. Marathons are disqualifying people for wearing iPods. That would tick me off after paying $100 for entry and training for it.
Here’s the USATF rule, which leaves me wondering, “TV’s?”.
USATF rule 144.3b:
The visible possession or use by athletes of video or audio cassette recorders or players, TV's, CD or DVD players, radio transmitters or receivers, mobile phones, computers, or any similar devices in the competition area shall not be permitted.
Further explanation by USATF officials as follows: Participants wearing headphones are less aware of their surroundings and may not be aware of (1) starting line announcements; (2) instructions on the course from race management, volunteers and police officers; (3) warnings that a car is in the immediate vicinity or that participants have strayed off course; (4) friendly warnings from another participant that is approaching to pass; (5) finish line/chute announcements; and, (6) directions in the recovery area. In basic terms--when you can't hear what is going on around you, you lose one of your most valuable senses--at a time when you need all of your senses working. Even if a participant is cognizant of their surroundings and "wants" to be aware, the inability to hear clearly is a significant risk factor that cannot be ignored. Event personnel must be able to communicate with participants before, during and after the race.
What do you think? Click on “comments” at the bottom of this article and let us know.
5 comments:
There's a great book about this in the psychology section at your local library called "positive addiction", worth a read
Thanks for leaving my name out of it... Oh, wait...
Yeh, I am anti-iPod. I know they have become immensely popular... I would say on a typical day probably 60-70% of the other runners I encounter are wearing them. Some days that number approaches 100%. I am in the minority and I realize that.
I have had this argument numerous times with more people than I can count. People get really passionate about it... Here's where I come from on this:
I am admittedly old-school... I have run most of my adult life and started running in earnest in the late 70's when I was in middle school. I actually tried running with music a couple times... Granted, it was back in the early 80s, with the comparatively bulky and heavy Sony Walkman. But, I found the experience more annoying than anything. The headphone wires stuck to my sweaty skin... My ears filled with sweat... I took off the headphones and they just felt gross... I was constantly fiddling with things... wires, volume, earpieces... Two times, and I had enough. Just too annoying.
Yes, I know these new little MP3 players are much sleeker and lighter. But in the intervening years, I have run thousands and thousands of miles, all without benefit of portable music. That's thousands of miles with friends, or by myself... That's thousands of miles through rain, sun, ice, warm, cold... That's thousands of bird calls... That's hundreds of squirrels jumping through the trees... That's dozens and dozens of deer running through fields and through woods. I'm not a big outdoors and nature person, but that's good stuff...
That's thousands of miles of working through the events of my life... School, exams, marriage, divorce, kids, and career. That has been time to have some of the best conversations with friends about politics, sex, money, sports, you name it. The thump thump of my heart, of my feet hitting the pavement is all the rhythm I have ever needed. It is time to clear my head and get right with the world.
So what of my neighbor who says "Man, I just can't run without my iPod..." Hey, if that's what gets him through it, then I guess it can't be all bad. But the problem is, his iPod gets him through it because he fundamentally dislikes running. He's not the only one. I have heard similar rationale more times than not as the reason why somebody runs with an iPod. "I can't run without it." "Running is so boring." "It takes my mind off what I'm doing." And as much as I have run over the years and enjoyed it, that makes me really sad. These are people who look at running (and perhaps fitness in general) as a chore, not as a way of life. I'll make a broad statement here, and I may be wrong, but...
If you feel you can't run without your MP3 player, then you will ultimately fail in your running goals. It may not be this week, this month, or this year. But it will happen. If you don't have the inner drive and motivation to get out and run on your own, then you need to either find something you enjoy, or just go ahead and admit that running is not for you and that you can't do it.
...And don't even get me started on the issue of safety. A buddy and me did an early morning 15 miler last summer. We started in complete darkness and finished as the sky was just starting to brighten. During that run we came up on three different headphone-wearing women, running alone, who lept out of their skin because they didn't hear us coming... And we weren't even trying to be quiet. Good thing we weren't rapists as it would have been entirely too easy to find a victim that morning. But, the safety issue is on your shoulders... My argument is philosophical.
What I think people miss is that time to just THINK. I'm not sure at what point we became a society that felt the need to be constantly entertained. DVD players in cars. CNN on small TV screens on the gas pumps at my local gas station. Flat panel TVs at Wachovia to watch while standing in line. Lots of people cocoon themselves into their MP3 world... You see them at the grocery story... you see them at the gym... you see them walking down the street. And the implied message they emit is "I'm rockin' out... don't bother me."
Don't get me wrong here... I've got an iPod and I love it. I use it often. But it has its place. I don't bother saying hello to other runners that wear them since they don't hear me anyway. What a shame... And what makes me scratch my head even more is when I see two runners together, and they are BOTH wearing an iPod... I mean, what's the point of running with somebody if you are in your own MP3 world?
Hey, you do what you want. I'm glad you are at least trying it, iPod or not. But you should try leaving the hardware at home, maybe invite a friend to come along... You might be surprised by what you hear...
Super feedback, Chaz. I have to agree that I've talked with more than a handful of people lately, who admit, they often dread running. There are other ways to get sweaty, so why force yourself to do something you don't enjoy? That's a topic for a whole different conversation.
In agreement with your comments, I think the isolation and distraction from mental exercise is dumbing down our society to a point where a decent conversation with a relative stranger has become a rarity. They're either too wrapped up in their electronic "cocoon" as you put it, or they've lost the capacity to have any original thoughts and simply regurgitate what they see or hear on the tube or tunes.
Can't we all get along? Listen to your iPod, just don't blow your ear drums out so you can still hear the loud noise - like Cars.
To each their own. I run with my Zune sometimes and sometimes I don't. It really depends on the situation. Sometimes I don't want to think. I NEED to not think. So I wear one. Sometimes it helps me to get "in the zone". Sometimes I don't wear one at all becuase I want to talk with my friends. Get caught up on what has been happening with them. And again, sometimes I don't want to get caught up on what has been happening with them. I suppose I am a 50/50 wearer. One thing I am always thoughtful of, is safety. I run trails backwards so I can see oncoming traffic. If the trail is bi-directional I leave the music in the car. On the road, it is 50/50 with music. (I have to admit I now HATE running on the road so it is rare if you see me on the road.) Depending on location it is low volume. If very very busy city roads I just leave the player behind.
Persoanlly, I don't care what other people do. I guess I really don't care what they think either. I understand and to some extent believe in both sides of the argument. But when it comes down to it, when I wear one it is becuase I WANT TO WEAR ONE and when I don't it is becuase I DON'T WANT TO WEAR ONE.
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