Sorry if this question has already been asked in a previous post, but I am wondering if penalties and/or disqualifications are being handed out to age-groupers who are discovered to be using Ipods (or the like) during the run portion of North American Ironman races. The USAT website states that penalties of 4 mins, 8 mins, and disqualifications are in order for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd violations, respectively, for use of MP3 players, just wondering if anyone is aware if this rule is being enforced, or is a blind eye turned for age-groupers. Thanks.
I think you should try it and see what happens.
Why are rules in races so hard to follow??
No they don’t turn a blind eye, and if you purposely use headphones while knowing its against the rules i hope you get DQ’ed.
I think you’re lost, you need BT.
like others said: you obviously know the rule. follow it or you’re cheating. if you want to cheat, why do the race at all?
I have no worries about being DQ’ed; I posted this question on behalf of a non-ST’er who is hoping to complete her first IM this summer, just an innocent question, no need to call the police about her just yet 
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The iPod rule isn’t an unfair advantage as I see it, it’s a safety issue.
Know the rules obey the rules, end of story.
If your doing IMAZ and M35-39, please use your ipod. Please encourage your friends in the same age group to do so as well.
Thanks.
The last 2 years at Wildflower they’ve had USAT officials on the run issuing ipod penalites. There is a very good chance you will get a penalty if you use one.
Seems kinda pointless on a closed course tho…I wish they’d use those guys to monitor drafting on the bike instead.
Personally I like the policy at my local Tri-4-Fun: no ipods on the bike (safety issue, there is some traffic), rock out on the run if you want (trail run, no cars).
Maybe they could let us use 1 earbud, a-la pro cyclists.
I think that this is one of those issues that you really can’t tell what might really happen until it does. You already know that its not allowed, but just like the bike drafting issue, its really hit or miss if any one event has people out there enforcing the rules. Lets face it, for most events these are all about how much you honor the system and its rules. If you don’t want to honor the system and its rules, then maybe you should really think about why you are doing these events in the first place. Tim
The bigger question to ask is why do you need to run with one anyway?
i think it’s absolutely an unfair advantage.
part of racing, to me, is the mental aspect. all sorts of negative thoughts can and do creep into your mind during a race. especially during an iron distance marathon.
having music you know and like as a distraction along the way is a HUGE mental edge. running with music is easier than running without.
but the bottom line, as you said, is “Know the rules obey the rules, end of story.”
Years ago, I ran…once, with an old cassette tape Sony Walkman. I was listening to AC/DC BAck in Black at “11” and thanks to that, I hold the unoffical world record for the 2km run!!
Thought I was gunna die. Never again.
I can’t believe people ride with headphones, especially in traffic. It’s like playing Russian Roulette with 6 bullets in the gun (or just one bullet in a Glock! LOL)
AT IMNZ recently, we were specifically told during the briefing that running (or riding) with headphones was banned as a safety issue. The wearer could not necessarily hear instructions from race officials etc. They also mentioned the problem of running in front of passing runners, by not being able to hear them coming up form behind.
I guess it’s safety and an unfair advantage.
Sorry if this question has already been asked in a previous post, but I am wondering if penalties and/or disqualifications are being handed out to age-groupers who are discovered to be using Ipods (or the like) during the run portion of North American Ironman races. The USAT website states that penalties of 4 mins, 8 mins, and disqualifications are in order for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd violations, respectively, for use of MP3 players, just wondering if anyone is aware if this rule is being enforced, or is a blind eye turned for age-groupers. Thanks.
I have done 3 Ironmans…and I never wore headphones for any of them. But as far as i could tell a lot of other ppl did use them and for the most part they weren’t DQ’ed. or penalized. I think at the worst you would get a penalty…but i never saw anyone in a penalty tent other then when we were on the bike course and that was for drafting. Hope this helps.
I think you’re lost, you need BT.
Good grief what an idiotic and unhelpful response.
At Timberman last year, refs were on bikes for the run portion of the course and I saw them pull someone off and give them a penalty for headphones during the run. Don’t know why you would need distractions to keep your mind off the pain at that race. Between the lake, the bands on-course, and the snowball fight, there’s enough to keep you occupied. . . oh and the race too.
I did a relay with my older bro at home and I only did the bike portion (we flipped a coin and he got stuck with a 55 degree swim and ridiculously hot run…haha). They didn’t state any rule about headphones on the bike and it was not USAT sanctioned so I rocked out like it was a 20k time trial. Best bikes split of my life!
x2
no one ‘needs’ to run with one…you need shoes, and clothes, of course…you dont NEED an ipod. you also dont need to flout the rules…why even ask?
I bet this person also will NEED to cross the finish line with the whole family including a head bobbing baby and 3 dogs.
Running is my religion. I wouldn’t wear an ipod to your church so don’t wear one on my racecourse.
I yelled at a woman at IMC who was talking on her cellphone on the run.