The headphones-in-running discussion never had any good come out of it. I used to have an opinion on it til I was misquoted on the subject and now I keep my own counsel about it.
In a post-race dinner-gathering of friends once, I spoke about how I thought it was ridiculous to wear headphones because it detracted from the experience of running-being outside and seeing and hearing things that you wouldn't ordinarily encounter. But since I believe in individual choice, I also said that headphone bans were ridiculous.
One of my good friends at that dinner is a reporter. In an article she published internationally that night about the subject, she quoted me anonomously as saying that wearing headphones was assinine.
If you ever see a comment of yours in print, always claim you were misquoted, no matter what. It gives you wiggle-room. But in fact I was misquoted. I never said that.
What I really said was that wearing headphones was asinine.
I wonder what shade of lipstick that garish icon is wearing?
12 comments:
No surprise that lawyers can spell better than reporters!
I agree with your opinion as well as your spelling.
I commented on my blog regarding your comment. But will say here.. yes, it is good to have someone to call who can come.
It think it's rosy red asinine colored lipstick.
Good post.
That icon is hilarious and a bit scary looking! Thanks for sharing it.
HI Peter,
I saw your comment on Cindy's blog and thought I could see the Golden Gate Bridge behind you, so I clicked a little closer...and it looks like you're standing on "the road to Kirby Cove" (my childhood name for it), on the Marin side of the bridge. Then I saw you're based in DC. So I had to look again. It is GG Bridge, isn't it?
That icon is very funny.
I never wear headphones in races. I always thought you weren't supposed to, so why need an icon? Or, are running events administerd differently than tri events?
Anyway, thanks for the laugh.
Race Directors are stuck in the middle of the headphone controversy. If they purchase insurance through the USTF they are forced to abide by the rule. That said, there are runners who can't seem to keep the headphones off on a 5 mile group run when they have plenty of people to talk to. Why even go on a group run if you are going to run with headphones?
The rule has been been put in place to prevent cadence recordings for the elite athletes. Seems it would be easier to simply state that if you wear headphones you will be disqualified from being able to place in the overall standings.
The RD of one of our local races in Olympia Washington last year was outright rude to members of our running club regarding headphones. She got right up in their face and bluntly told them that they would be DQed if they were seen wearing them in the race. This being the first time they had heard about the rule seemed to be way over the edge. The Marine Corps Marathon had the right idea. They warned everybody and then ignored the people that were wearing them.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'll have a race report up on our 50K sometime Monday night. I'll probably wear my ipod for the last few miles of the ultra. I hope USTF can deal with that.
Trail Scat
asscellent catch!
this is why editors exist.
Love the icon - and the non-debate that is happening anyway.. I think I'm with you on the spelling and the headphone views..
I think it's important that everybody follow the rules that are set for races. AND that officials enforce the rules so if the rule is "no headphones" then all should respect that.
As for training, I often consider running a form of dancing and tremendously enjoy running with music. Also, I began running when I was about a hundred pounds heavier and did all I could to drown the sound of my labored breathing...so music helped a lot.
Tough stuff! Personally, I can live without the headphones... if I have to...
And my switch to cycling is reinforcing that! Ha.
That is definitely not one of the better icons but I do hope it will make the message clear. People who wear headphones and can't hear put everyone else at risk. Someone ought to create a short video on all that can and does sometime happen when folks are oblivious to what's going on around them.
Wow, that is indeed a pretty scary logo. Looks like one of those Mr. Yuck stuckers.
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