No one thinks headphones/ipods are OK while cycling. However, what is the problem during the run? Dangerous? A safety issue? Please... We are triathletes! We should be versatile, strong, and supportive of our fellow athletes. If a little music helps you get through the race..go for it. I am mentally strong enough to "run" my own race whether you choose to use music or not.

I totally agree with you. Ipods or any form of musical distraction should be outlawed..I thought the whole point of endurance events is to have superior mental skills. Listening to music makes everything easier and takes a lot of the challenge away by drowning out the sound of the voice in your head telling you to quit. I really think what ever governing body should address this.

plain and simple it is dangerous, irresponsible, and against the rules.

i see more and more people training with them---

i shouldnt, but i use one running trail and would not be aware if there were a horse or bike bearing down on me--im sure i shouldnt.....but on streets or in a race...never.

Count me in on the anti-headphones side for both the bike and the run. It's too dangerous, whether you're going at 8 mph or 20 mph.

On the bike, there's the obvious danger of collisions. On the run, as someone else pointed out, the headphones gives runners too much of a sense of isolation, and officials can't stop or warn them.

I live in a big city with a well-used park, and I've had enough close encounters courtesy of headphones on bikers, runners, and rollerbladers to convince me of their danger -- as fun and energizing as they are.

actually I believe above a certain level caffeine is illegal. but it's supposed to be you VS. the road not you and Coldplay VS. the road. and it is a safety thing - runner not hearing what is happening behind them and gets into trouble.

it's against USAT rules:
http://www.usatriathlon.org/Rules_Officials/rules.htm#6.3

a lot of running races I've seen have a note in the application not allowing headphones or baby strollers but maybe it's my region of the US

just saw this today "Caffeine, an ingredient in coffee and cola, was removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency list of banned substances in January 2004. WADA, however, continues to monitor the use of caffeine" from this article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8321829/

yippee I can go back my six cups of coffee for my race day breakfast

I'm definitely in the "don't do it during bike races but why the heck not during running races" camp. Those who say we shouldn't do it because the Olympians don't do it are being naive, in my opinion. If Olympians are your example, then I assume you think steroids are okay to use? Obviously I am not saying that all Olympians are steroid users, but recently there has been an alarming number of them, especially in track and field. Not necessarily the greatest example.

And why are we saying that you are totally responsible for knowing what is going on behind you? Last I heard, whether you're on a bike or in a car, it is primarily the responsibility of the person in back to avoid hitting the person in front. You rear end another car, YOU get the ticket, almost always. Granted, the person in front should take reasonable precautions, but the person in back obviously has a better view of the whole situation and therefore has a better chance of avoiding accidents.

As a runner (especially a slow one) I stay to the right and check around me if I'm going to take a walk break or something. That's just what you're supposed to do, and it makes no difference if I'm wearing headphones or not. I run on paved paths that are shared with cyclists. I often can't hear them coming, regardless of whether my music is on or not. A nice "on your left" given with enough warning to let me make sure I'm out of the way is great, but sadly doesn't happen all the time.

I am a midpacker at best, and thus harbor no illusions that I might even place in my age group, much less overall. I'm out there because it is fun for me, great exercise, and I'm just a bit of a ***** for finisher's medallions and event t-shirts. I'm happy if I can pass a few people and they don't pass me back right before the finish line. Someone who can finish in the top 5 is WAY beyond the point where headphones have anything to do with it. More power to them, I say.

Amy