Amused, or delighted? Methinks you maybe like stirring up the pot to achieve a desired result that you can point to and say "See... those guys that don't like earphones are intolerant elitist snobs". And whether it was sarcasm or not, YOU mentioned it first, so perhaps your little agitation did the trick.
Lew, I've been around here since 1999 and let me say that you are the first to label me elitist or a snob. But hey... I'll wear them proudly.
I don't like earphones. I have a hearing disability that according to my MD diminishes my hearing to the point that a person who is wearing earphones at a low to moderate level is impaired. When I take my hearing aid out I think I can hear, but I can't... it is a safety hazard. So I have personal evidence of their ability to be a safety hazard. But if people want to wear them fine.
I find that a number of people who run with earphones get very defensive about them. Hey, I prefer running without because wat I can hear is something that energizes me. I can understand earphones for treadmill users... and as I've said, it's your dime. And guess what? This snob actually
gasp has
friends who run with them, and he even runs with them when they wear them. Say it ain't so!
Just don't link earphones to the ability to run. There is no bio-mechanical link between the ear and the feet that I can see. If you use them to help you pace yourself... FINE. But come on Lew, even you can see that bailing because of an earphone problem is not akin to bailing because you're sick or injured.
I've given enough lame excuses to see one and name it. "It takes one to know one." And I'm not backing down from the claim.
What are some of the lame excuses I've used?
Ummm... my dog was tired. (Why couldn't I have dropped her off and continued?)
I wore mismatched shoes. (Don't ask... and I'd made it 3 miles before noticing)
I really want to run for an hour and I only have 50 minutes (so don't run at all?)
My elbow hurt.
And I'll state my other biases out in the open here so that others can point to my snobbery:
I will never run shirtless. I admire those that do, but hey I'd scare the little children.
I think that the barefoot runners are insane, but, they are right, all we need are our feet.
I hate the treadmill. I use it once a week, but I've found it can screw up my gait. Great for speed work, but I'd prefer to be outside in -40 temps.
I will not Gallowalk. Tried it, and while I will take walk breaks at aid stations I'd prefer to train to run the whole thing. They want to walk... fine, just don't block my way.
So... you wanna call me elite and a snob, so be it. I happen to think we're all runners... those who lace up and head out the door or onto the treadmill, those who Gallowalk and those who use earphones. But I know a lame excuse when I see one.
And for the record, I piped in only because of the accusations of elitism and snobbery flying around. Someone posts here or anywhere on these fora and they are open to comment. As I said, not trying to pick a fight... but perhaps others were.
You want to continue it to prove a point about us elitist snobs you are free to, but it'll be without me, I'm done.
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"All I know is that we've seriously lowered the bar for qualifying as elitist." - Jim Sullivan 9/13/2006
http://This message has been edited by Grizzly (edited Sep-13-2006).
Stupid elitist.