Just follow the rules peeps! (Page 3)

wes mantooth - 2008-10-13 2:54 PM I guess no one on here speeds or cheats on their taxes either

Well, when I speed, I don't do it on overcrowded roads.  I tend to do it when where traffic is light.  And I wouldn't do it right in front of a cop. And I don't cheat on my taxes. The penalties are little steep.

Why do you say that?  I admit that I am not fast and not (yet) a great (or even mediocre) endurance athlete. During road races I often have a couple of songs cued up to get me over the hump.  Yesterday it was the last mile to make make my goal. I train hard, I race hard and if I need to listen to my old college pregame psyche up songs to help meet my goal, I don't think that makes me a bad person or hater.  I am NOT saying go break the rules intentionally.  But I think it is wrong to pronounce someone who listens to music while racing as less dedicated or goal oriented. 

(*Sorry for directing this to you.  You are a great poster, an asset to this site and an amazingly generous soruce of knowledge.  I just disagree with you here.)

I didn't say it originally, I just like the quote.  And as that poster said when he put it out, it is not a condemnation or justification in either direction.  It is merely an observation.

I have some sort of metal blasting from my car as I get set up to go to transitions or get dressed for running/cycling events.  I love music and getting pumped.  I just personally don't need it at all WHILE excercising.  I'm listening to my body, letting my pace and stride be dictated by what I feel and what is needed for the situation.  I don't need 160 bpm to keep my legs turning over ..... or even worse ...... making me go faster than I should be at the time.

And pure and simple, if it is the rule in the event, don't break it.

When I finally get around to RD'ing, I will follow those rules and if I catch a participant with one, it will be confiscated with no promise of getting it back.  Don't like the rule?  Don't race in my events ......... I've been in events like that and I applaud them for actually following through.

Actually Scout7's original quote is quite different from what you're saying.

I can agree with Scout's observation, however your misquote is the converse of that and not so agreeable. As Rogillio said in that thread, your view is akin to saying those who like chocolate sauce on their ice cream don't really like ice cream.

Personally, I love running, wish my body would let me do more. I listen to my ipod on most training runs to make better use of my time, primarily to catch up on the many music podcasts I subscribe to. Some of us are good like that, you know, multi-tasking and such.

Never in a race, though, too many other things to focus on.

But if the race organizers don't enforce their own rules the insurance company can fight any potential claims.  By having the rule in  place but not enforcing it, the race organizers are putting themselves at risk I would think (though I am no expert on insurance issues).

If they can't/won't/don't enforce the rule they should rethink even having that rule.

What good is the rule if the race organizers can't/don't/won't enforce it?  If  someone gets hurt because they or someone else was using an iPod or cellphone, and the race organizers were not enforcing their own rule of not using these devices then I would think the race organizers are putting themselves at some risk and should rethink having these unenforced rules.

Rules are great but if you don't enforce them and people know there are no consequences to breaking them  people are not going to follow them.

(I train with music but don't race with it.... I want to hear the spectators and interact with the people who took time out of their day to watch or help at the race.  I think zoning out with an ipod is disrespectful to the volunteers and spectators)

To me, the Scout7 quote is only slightly less offensive. If running with an iPod is dangerous then it should not be done ever (like drunk driving which is still unsafe on deserted roads).  I simply don't agree that it is unsafe to listen to music while racing.  Further, whether you choose to listen to your iPod or not should not be a qualitative denominator of the type of runner you are.  Of course you should follow the rules of a race and if they prohibit iPods, you don't bring one, always be safe and courteous to other participants and thank the volunteers and high five the kids. 

What I like about sports is the automatic pilot aspect.  In my experience, if you train harder than you race and practice your game-day plan, there is nothing to think about on race day other than executing your plan.  If you start thinking you have already lost.  I may not yet be capable of interpreting lots of data during races and modifying my pace or whatever to it (or, better yet, tailor training), but I am smart enough not to run into people during a race, regardless of whether I am listening to music or not.  Unless, of course, I bonk and then all bets are off.