Marathon participants given the run-around with audio players

Posted November 9, 2007 at 11:16 AM by Denise Musumeci

Section: In The News, His Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Access

All year long, thousands of runner train for this time of year: marathon season. You see them preparing themselves everywhere: running around the neighborhood, down the highway, even at the gym. Runners spend so much time preparing for fear that they will hit the wall after twenty miles. This year, however, that is not their only concern. The New York Times reported on October 31st that USA Track & Field, the national governing body for running, banned the use of headphones and portable audio players at its official races in order to ensure safety and to prevent runners from having a competitive edge.

However, banning the use of headphones is easier said than done, especially on races that are 26 miles long, like the New York City Marathon. Some marathons do not police their fields or follow through on the rule of disqualifying contestants who use iPods and other audio players. Not to mention, with advances in technology, people can purchase iPods that are as small as a quarter. Runners can tuck these small devices into their shorts, belts, or bras and then take them out a few miles downfield.

Participants in marathons all over the country have mixed feelings on the ban. Old school runners praise the ban on music players because they need to concentrate on their own bodies and hear their competitors. On the other hand, those who use music for motivation during training curse the ban because it is frustrating. Jennifer Lamkins, an irate teacher from Long Beach, California thinks the ban is just plain stupid. “If they are banning them because we can’t hear directions, does that mean they should ban deaf people, too?”

Although it seems ridiculous, there is a good reason for the ban. Officials need runners to be more aware of their surroundings and be able to clearly hear race announcements or warnings from other runners. The biggest reason, however, is insurance issues. Jill Geer, spokeswoman for USA Track & Field, said, “[insurance] rates rise substantially if headphones are allowed. Each sanctioned race receives liability insurance from USA Track & Field, and it would be up to each race director to enforce the ban. If the ban were ignored, the races would be liable in the event of an accident caused by someone using headphones.”

As far as enforcing the ban, some races have taken drastic measures. For example, Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota collects iPods before the race and mail them back after the marathon has ended. Even still, more than 30 runners were disqualified for breaking the headphone rule.

Even though the headphone ban has some merit, some people perform better using music for their motivation. Prohibiting audio players from marathons seems unreasonable, especially since USA Track & Field cannot cite a specific incident caused by runners wearing headphones. In either case, runners with and without headphones need to be aware of their surroundings and cautious of other runners.

Research sources and for more information: [New York Times]