Oh, by the way... leave your iPod at home (Read 1650 times)

<rant> So I have been training and looking forward to my 5K on Saturday since January... basically I have mapped out my entire training plan focusing on setting a new PR in this race. Then today, I get an email from the race organizer that wearing headphones is not allowed. Keep in mind now that this was never mentioned on the web site for the race, nor was there any mention of this when I registered for the race. I think this is complete garbage, not only to have this useless rule, but to fail to mention this until 2 days before the race. If headphones are fine for the NYC marathon, then what the hell is the problem in a few hundred person 5K?! If I knew this in advance, I would certainly have picked a different race to run. Of course, the entry fee is non-refundable. I have run one race in my life w/o headphones and I finished with by far my worst time, probably 2-3 minutes slower in a 7M race than I would have expected. I am so pissed about this bs right now. There's just no way I am running this race w/o headphones. So on Saturday I will be running this race with headphones and someone will have to physically drag me off the course to stop me. </rant>

Sounds like it is time to rectify that last attempt without your headphones. While I cannot fathom why running without headphones would have slowed you, the time has come to prove yourself. As JK says, when life gives you lemons, make a killer new PR. But don't break the rules, no matter how silly they are.

They probably won't physically drag you off the course, but they might jot down your bib number and exclude you from the results.

A lot of races don't allow the use of listening devices now, get used to it. BTW - what is the point of running a race if you're listening to music and not taking in the race experience?

USA Track & Field (sport's governing body) bans 'em. That ought to be good enough. If not, safety and, likely, insurance fees, are other reasons. I also ditto the HTFU remark. I've found I run stronger and faster w/o it. And I have a rockin 30 GB iPod w/ video and tons of kickass music. It's what you are made of, not Steve Jobs' invention. And I doubt headphones were "fine" in the last NYC marathon. Even if they were, I doubt they'll be allowed in this years'.

As JK says, when life gives you lemons, make a killer new PR.

I say that? Hey, its been at least 7 or 8 minutes since I've heard the ever popular (but never dull!) iPod arguments. Ready-set-go! To the rest of you: be nice to the poor OP. Sure, HTFU is the only proper response. But still. To BostonChris: what's left to be said on this one? I used to be an iPod racer. I learned not to be. I'm not going to argue the pros and cons, since its been done to death. I mean beaten to a bloody vaguely horse-shaped pulp. I still wear the pod in training sometimes, although seeing some things at races have pushed me to the anti-iPod side of things. Try having somebody drop theirs in front of you and pick it up when a thousand runners are right behind you - you'll see the point. Listening to the latest Hannah Montana tune is not worth death-by-trampling. Which is all beside the point. The point is - the writing is on the wall. iPods being permitted at most races ain't going to be happening, sooner rather than later. Them's the rules. They'll be gone at all big city events soon. So you might as well get used to it now. The truth is I consider it a blessing, for me personally. It makes the entire experience more rewarding. I used to run through a beautiful park with those things glued to my head - now I get to hear nature's own music. The stupid rules made me try what i should have been doing all along. At my last couple marathons, I've had an iPod waiting for me along the course. Both times I waved it off ... I wanted to hear the race's actual soundtrack. And for what it's worth, the first marathon without an iPod (because my "crew" overslept, but I digress ...) is also my PR. Not a coincidence, either. Give it a try. You might like it. And you don't have much choice anyway. Oh - and HTFU. It's a 5k for Pete's sake. You'd only get through 5 or 6 songs anyway. And I know Hannah Montana doesn't have that many hits.

Unlike some people I have no problems with others wearing headphones. I never wear them myself because I like to listen to my body and enjoy nature. With saying that I think it is truly sad that you have become so dependent on your headphones that you trick yourself into thinking you are unable to PR with out them. Seriously it's a short race and isn't going to take that long. Go out, run hard and see what you can do. You are already putting mental limitations on yourself saying you can't run a PR without headphones. There is no way you are that mentally weak. Quit being so damn soft and go run fast.

20 minutes. I can keep a song trapped in my head that long easy. I've been stuck on "where is thumbkin" for days now.

I find this particular song to be absolutely ideal for trapping in one's head and repeating for 3.1 miles. Perhaps the greatest running song ever.