The Right to Tunes

My sister sent me this excellent article on the debate over running with music. It's a hot topic of late, since the USATF approved rule 144.3b, which prohibits the use of video or audio players of any type in the races they sanction. Race directors are just noticing this new rule, and it's not clear yet if, how or when it will be enforced.

The NYRR, which organizes the local races here, is not yet on board. They still list such devices as "strongly discouraged" rather than prohibited.

A recent post on Harlem26.2 points out how difficult it would be for the NYRR to actually enforce the rule. Can you imagine trying to confiscate a New Yorker's iPod mid race? Good luck!

Personally, I don't run with an iPod at all, except maybe on the treadmill, on a slow day. One reason often given is safety. I think that's a good reason, but that's not why I don't use one. There are two reasons why I like to keep my ears open: to focus on running my best, and to fully experience the event, whether it be a race or a scenic trail run.

Although some runners use music for inspiration, I tend to think that if you are training or racing, as opposed to just going out for a run, music takes your focus away from where it should be. In an earlier post, I showed this picture and asked "can you spot the winners?".
The answer was that the two winners were the only ones not using watches. Now I ask you, what to ALL of these elite runners have in common? Of course, none of them are wearing headphones. It would be absurd if they were. These folks are running to win, and they need to focus on what they are doing.

"That's just the pros, you say? OK, here's the starting line before a local race this past weekend. No headphones. Period.

I may not be half as fast as these folks, but I enjoy making the most of my training and racing, and that's one reason I don't wear headphones when I run. There was I time when my focus was on distracting myself from the discomfort of running, but now I really want to focus on what I'm doing.

In a race this past weekend, a runner I knew passed me going up a hill. He was charging hard, and passed me like I was standing still. I wanted to say something congratulatory to him, but he was wearing headphones, and he didn't seem to be aware of me. I was struck by the feeling that he was missing something - something more than hearing "looking good!" from me.

In these races I love taking in what's going on around me. How people are breathing, the sound of their footsteps, cheers from the crowd, everything. Tuning out is not what I want to do.

It's one thing to prefer to race without headphones, but it's another to prohibit others from doing so. I don't really mind other racers with headphones, but the races here are pretty crowded. It probably would be better if everyone had full use of all their senses. I don't agree with the runners vs joggers attitude of the Pearl Izumi adds, but perhaps there should be a distinction between jogging and racing. There's no reason you can't be a jogger with an iPod on one day, and a racer the next.

One of the things I concentrate on in races is not going too hard up the hills, and picking it up at the crest of the hill. So many runners charge up hills, and then pull back to try to recover at the top, and even on the downhill. I find that if you push too hard you can't recover. But if you save a little, you can explode over the top and down the hill. It's hard to think this way when you are running to music.

At the top of that hill last weekend, I put on a push, and low and behold, I passed that runner back. I was pretty sure that he wouldn't be returning the favor any time soon. How did I know? I could hear how hard he was breathing.