ning and racing as those who run with both their ears and eyes, and attentive minds, wide open to all the sounds, voices and cheers around them. I offer below a list of consequences and risks of those who wear PMDs during running events: • missing important pre-race announcements
or
• missing warnings about course safety offered by course marshals and police, and even fellow athletes and spectators, about changing conditions and circumstances, such as dangers ahead • missing motivational cheers from spectators, encouraging words from fellow athletes and the hearing of one’s name announced by race announcers • missing music and sometimes even live musicians along the course
What Are You Missing?
• missing the sounds of nature • missing the ever present friendly, helpful, chatter amongst runners • missing course marshals’ directions to the correct finish line or finishers’ chute
Is your “PMD” really enhancing your run? by Gary Westlund What might I be missing when I plug my ears with earbuds or headphones while running? I’ve seen how much joy hearing-impaired-bychoice runners are missing. I find that runners who wear Personal Music Devices (PMD), compared to athletes who do not use a PMD during a road race: • enjoy their running and road racing experiences less than they would if they could hear clearly and attentively to all the natural sounds, cheers and announcements • are less focused on their moment-bymoment performance and, therefore, slower • are less safe • frequently impede the safe progress and performance of others • increase demands on road race volunteers • increase road race management costs and liability risks
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009
Every runner has the right to wear headgear, headphones or ear buds to help them with their running. Sports psychologists report that many novice exercisers initially improve their adherence to exercise by listening to music. The music distracts the novice exerciser from what may initially be unpleasant feelings they experience with exercise.Yet, we also have responsibilities, especially when we go out in public, and especially in the crowded world of road races. Interestingly, sports psychologists also report that experienced exercisers improve their athletic performances and exercise experiences when they do not tune into PMDs. This is because they tune into the monitoring of both internal feelings and external challenges to performance.I’ve edited thousands of race photos. And I see confirmation in racers’ faces that headphone wearing runners are not nearly as happily engaged in all the experiences of run-
RUNMINNESOTA
• missing the finish line altogether Also, PMD use in public may also communicate other unintended, or even intended, messages: • I’m a novice runner • I’m dependent on distraction from running by hearing music • I don’t want anyone to talk to me • I’m not interested in anyone else or even others’ safety But, if you insist that you just can’t run a road race without your headset, timely learn to remove the earbuds from your PMDs in the following three situations: • before the race to listen to pre-race announcements • along critical points on the course, such as when you see a course marshal or police officer • as you approach the finish line My hope is that more runners, once dependent on PMDs, will discover the joy of running and racing outdoors without PMDs. In this way, they will never have to finish a race wondering, “What did I miss?” RM
Minnesota Distance Running Association