Jay, you are making way more out of this issue than you need to.  I mean, seriously.  If you are truly this concerned over the iPod issue, don't wear one.  When you show up out at Frederick, which from what I could tell says nothing about iPod use, and you see a majority of the runners out there wearing headphones, watch them carefully.  Do the same at Baltimore.  You will see that it is such a non-issue that this whole thread is actually funny.  As for worrying about insurance companies and lawsuits, there is way bigger things to worry about.  Like finishing the race.  Why are you worried about insurance and lawsuits anyway?  You have a big thing sitting out in front of you, and if you are allowing this to occupy your mind, you are going to have a very tough day out there.  I will put it like this, don't listen to the garbage that is being put out on here, from either side of the argument.  Instead, go out and see for yourself.  That is what I did.  I made an informed decision by taking the time to look at things for my self.  When I saw that there were alot of runners out there wearing their iPods, and I know how much more enjoyable my runs are with mine, I decided to use mine. 

As for the waiver and such, did you happen to notice any of the language referring to you being able to state that you have been properly trained, am physically fit and able to run the distance for which you have signed up?  What's up with this language?  Can't the race be sued if you go out there, and can show documentation that you were in fact properly trained, and you got hurt anyway?  You know what?  I think it is nothing more than a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo.  If you throw enough into a race waiver, the race should be sufficiently protect from anything and everything.  But the bottom line is, no matter what you do, in anything that you do, not just in running, you run the risk of being sued.  It happens to police officers every single day.  They have a coked up freak attack them, they spray them with pepper spray and the guy drops dead of Cocaine Induced, excited delirium.  The cop winds up getting dragged into court and being sued by the druggies family, because in his training to be able to carry pepper spray, he was trained to notice the signs of the above referenced condition.  So, the next time, the cop just knocks the, you know what, out of the druggie with his expandable baton and puts the guy into the hospital.  Once again, drug into court and sued for excessive force.  I know this seems ridiculous, but the point I am making, is that if a person wants to sue you bad enough, they will. 

We are all adults here, and we make big boy and girl decisions every day.  Some of us make decisions for our kids.  But I am guessing that these decisions have all turned out positive for the most part.  Please don't take this the wrong way, but you need to just move on and see for yourself. 

I would also like to see this sport continue to grow.  I have noticed the number of people using a music device of one sort or another grow and I doubt that is going to slow down, in fact, I believe we will see that number grow.  Race directors are going to need to find a way to accept that and embrace it, for we are not going away and if they want our time and money, they will need to accept us for we are Team Eyepod and we will not be denied

Parker, you are absolutely right.  Too many people allow peripheral things to get in the way of just enjoying the experience of running.  I have often said that I usually enjoy the training for a race, way more than the race itself.  Like you said, I love getting up way early in the morning, when it is still dark out, throwing on my headlamp and taking off.  Noone else is out there, it is just me.  I am not racing against anyone, I am just running.  I love heading out onto a run so long that I'm not quite sure that I will be able to finish it.  I love running scared sometimes.  I did a 30 mile training run one time on a wooded trail that follows an old abandoned rail line near where I live.  I planned on doing 15 miles out, and 15 back.  I packed some money into my camel back, threw some jolly ranchers in there and some chips and took off.  I got to the turnaround, and the skies turned grey and then I heard the thunder.  The one thing my mom always told me growing up was to stay away from trees during a thunderstorm.  Well, if I wanted to get back to my truck, which was 15 miles away, I was going to need to be near trees during a thunder storm.  So I took off running.  It started to rain, nothing too hard, but it made a nice muddy mess of my shoes.  Those 15 miles clipped by pretty quickly though.  That is what running is about.  Not worrying about whether I can sue the state for allowing me to run, during a storm. 

Runner Chick, I agree that we need to do way more to embrace new runners into this sport.  There are too many crusty old elitists that just refuse to let new people into this club.  Rules are reviewed all the time and made to be more sensible for the target audience.  This is one of those things.  Like Parker said, this is just one more thing that some elitist has found that they want to take away from us.  Probably because they are scared that some newbie is going to be faster than them.  Truth be told, I don't care about being fast.  Evidently, the cool crowd doesn't hang out up front anyway.  I would much rather enjoy a day of running with people who are having fun, than someone who is so preoccupied with their time that they are miserable.

Jay, there could be a myriad of reasons for why Baltimore highlites the no headphones thing in their advertisement.  But the bottom line is this, nearly 70% of the runners will be wearing headphones in Baltimore.  There is no explanation for it, it is just always been that way.  Please don't make this a big deal with Corrigan Sports.  They are a great company that does an awesome job of coordinating an event.  Plus, since you are going to be way out front, who cares about us rebel rousers with the headphones on behind you?  So, how is the training coming along for Frederick?  I am getting bummed that I won't be running there this year.  Did you see the jackets the full marathoners are getting?  Pretty Sweet.

At any rate.  My suggestion is this.  Enjoy YOUR run.  If that means wearing headphones, then do it.  If not, that means that you're not cool like us.  Just kidding.  Have fun, that is what this is about.  And, at your next race, if you see someone that is running their first race, pat them on the back and welcome them to our club. 

Jay -

How many cases do you know of (verifiable please) where an insurance company did not make a payment because of an injury to a runner caused by someone else (or themselves) determined to be caused wearing an ipod or some other race prohibited ephemera?

All the hypothetical discussion about what if and this may and I heard is pointless unless there are hard facts to back it up.

IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO CAN CITE AN EXAMPLE OF AN INJURY CAUSED TO A RUNNER BY SOMEONE WEARING AN IPOD OR CAUSED BY THAT RUNNER WEARING AN IPOD (or any listening device)?

How does that number stack up against the number of injuries for other reasons over the course of a race? I have personally seen road rash from a misstep and tumble due to tangled feet, turned ankles, cramps, muscle pulls or tears, dehydration and sheer exhaustion. I have never seen an injury from and ipod. My guess is they do occur, but do so at a rate far less than other causes.

There is data that clearly show teenagers have a higher accident rate than people over the age of 21.  Hence, higher insurance premiums until age 21, then there is a big drop.  There is a lot of statistical data to justify why insurance companies do that.

All we have had here is a bunch of "elitists" tossing around unverifiable and non-supported data (opinion) and the rest of the running world is supposed to fall in behind them lock step because they can run a 2:20 marathon??????????  I think not.

Where is the data?  Where is the data?  Where is the data?  People may sue on anecdotal evidence, but rarely do they win all the way through the appeals process.

Jay -

One more thing.  The original article state the conflict is arising between the "running establishment" and ipod wearers.  Read as "elite" vs. "recreational".  The article then goes on to state that 60-70% of runners have ipods (or whatever).  Seems to me the majority rules.  If the purists don't want to run in a race with ipods then don't. 

Who really cares what a so called elite thinks?  I am not competing against them, I am competing against myself and the demons I have to carry around the rest of my life.  Running a marathon or half or whatever is not the measure of the competitor inside someone.  I guarantee you I can run farther and faster with a 40 pound ammo pack, NVG helmet, 16 pounds of water, a 2.1 pound Sig Sauer 226 Navy pistol, a 20.5 pound Heckler and **** HK21E machine gun, 30+ pounds of body armor in 120 degree heat than any 10 people you know. 

It's quite simple for me.  I am going to listen to my ipod when I run 10K or more.  If the race doesn't allow it, then I won't run in that race.  By my choice.  Will they miss my $50, probably not.  But if they start hard core enforcement, I would be willing to bet there will be a drop off in participation - especially since 60-70% of the participants in a race wear listening devices.  (I am quoting the original article and have not seen their data source.  I can only assume there editing staff did their job and verified the numbers.)

sgray -

You are on point my friend. 

I ran the Va Beach Rock and Roll Half for the first time in 2007.  I ran in a Virginia Tech "Run For 32" shirt to commemorate those lost on 16 April - my daughter lost one friend (9 gunshots to her head and back) and and had two other friends survive with relatively minor wounds.  The course was lined with Tech fans, supporters, etc.  One of the water stations was run by the Virginia Beach Chapter of VA Tech alumni.  I had to stop running because they all wanted to thank me and/or hug me.  I guess I should feel bad because I "lowered myself" to stop instead of grinding it out in search of a PR.

Jog-A-Thon my arse.  No one would enjoy that face to face conversation.

I want to run a race with you sometime - I don't even know you, but I like you.

Be Well.

I plan on running the Marine Corp Marathon this fall, so......I will be running it to enjoy the day and get some good training in.  JFK is 3 weeks after that, and I want to get a nice long run in, and what better way to get a long run in, than with 32,000 of my closest friends?  Also, I plan on running Baltimore two weeks before MCM.  And, if you just want to hang out and run and have some fun, you should come out to JFK and pace me for a few miles on the C&O Canal Towpath.  Nice Scenery, fun race, great food.  What's not to like?  Oh, and the best part, regular walk breaks.  I use a 15 minutes of running, 5 minutes of walking strategy on this part of the race.  Think about it.

Sgray -

Well, if this disc in my back ever decides to let me get back on the road I would consider the MCM.  I am a little leery since I have been limited to walking the dog for the past 5 weeks.  I am running the OBX Marathon Veteran's Day weekend which is only a few weeks after MCM so recovery is a bit of a concern.  I did the Shamrock Marathon last March at a 10:24 pace with no walking - that was before this accumulation of flesh wounds and other things that have nothing to do with getting older.  I think a realistic expectation for the OBX and/or MCM would be a rather pedestrian 11:00 pace.  If that holds you back, well good on ya and good luck, if that works for you, let's talk more.