I’ve run a search and read the posts on run cadence, pacing and metronomes so I’m not asking those questions again. I have a Seiko credit card sized metronome that I’ve used on runs and it seems to help me. I just picked up a really cool micro metronome (Korg Metrognome) that clips on to the earlobe and weighs next to nothing. My question is would a small earing sized in-ear metronome set to a specific cadence be illegal if used during a race? Thanks.
Illegal in races under USAT and WTC rules. I have, however, used mine in club races to help dial in a good strong turnover.
It’s not legal? Not doubting you, but I can’t recall ever seeing a rule specifically against it. Where would I find it?
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I imagine it’d be considered a personal audio device…which is illegal.
I don’t know about it being legal or not, but I had one of the Korg metronomes. The idea is just too good to be true. I could not keep it running due to the sweat shorting it out. I tried wrapping it in plastic and everything…no go. I miss the double beat tempo (you can make every other step sound a little different) but it wasn’t dependable. Now I use the Finis waterproof one.
I know BB King would sweat up a storm while playing, but I guess he didn’t need a metronome 
Good luck with yours!
It’s not legal? Not doubting you, but I can’t recall ever seeing a rule specifically against it. Where would I find it?
Charlie Crawford has answered that specific question at pre-race meetings in the past. It is banned as both a pace-keeping device that provides an unfair advantage and as a personal audio device.
If it were legal, I’d just say my IPOD is a “type of metronome”. 
I guess, but what about a heartrate monitor that beeps? What about the timex I program to beep every 15 minutes to remind me to eat during an IM? I’ve used a metronome in training for a while to help with run cadence, which helped quite a bit, but never to race. It is been the most help to me with swimming. I haven’t felt the need to use it in a race, but I wonder why it would be illegal. If it is, then any kind of audible alarm you use to remind you of eating, time, heart rate, whatever, could be illegal.
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Good point - should HRM be illegal then? I’ve never raced with one either, but that sounds pretty interesting.
Illegal in races under USAT and WTC rules.
This comes as a surprise to me as well. I have seen people in races with running watches that have a beep function for pacing. I can’t recall if they were running races or triathlon at this point in time. However, I didn’t care one way or the other, I just thought that the beeping was annoying and I worked to put some distance between me and them.
A beeping watch isn’t that expensive, is easily obtained, and at least in my mind has questionable value. How could this be considered an unfair advantage? And, God help me, especially when you consider it in comparison with wetsuits, or disc wheels?? Just doesn’t make any sense to me.
It’s funny you say that because I originally bought the Seiko metronome to help me figure out which of my favorite songs (for my mp3) had beats that roughly equated to a cadence of 90 - turning my mp3 into a metronome I guess.
Don’t know if it is illegal here in Aus, but it would probably drive me crazy ticking away in my ear.
I got a MetroGnome after reading this. That sucker is LOUD. I had t clip it to the pinna of my ear and put tape over the speaker hole, but it worked great this am. American Muxical supply sells them for $19.95 including shipping and no tax, unless you’re in NJ (I think.)
Yup, with low ambient noise it is pretty loud. I wear a hat and clip it to the brim (not in the ear) when it’s quiet out.
I downloaded a (free) metronome palm program into my Palm Treo, and play it thru the earphones when I want to focus on cadence, but I wouldn’t wear it in a race.
I couldn’t get it to stay on the brim of my cap. That’s why I used the tape. Any tricks?
The body automatically selects it’s most efficient cadence while running.
Using an artificial cadence would thereby decrease performance if your most efficient cadence was above or below the artificial cadence.
TRAINING with a metronome to increase your efficiency at race cadence is useful. But RACING with a metronome is likely to decrease performance.
whether metronomes are legal or not in a race, it’s not that hard to count your steps for a ten second span of time. 30 steps in 10 sec is 180 steps per minute. I do it while training all the time just to reassure myself that my internal metronome is on.
I think this would probably be legal. Recently, a blonde from California appealed and was granted permission based on a medical condition to wear headphones during the race which repeated “Breathe in…Breathe out…Breathe in…Breathe out…”
The hats I use have a velcro adjustment strap on the back. Try hanging it “upside down” on a snug fitting cap and you should be ok, otherwise gravity takes over and it’ll drop.