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Swim-MP3 player during a race

Chris OubreChris Oubre
in General Training Discussions
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

I'm trying to find out if swim MP3 players are legal or not in Ironman events? What about USAT sanctioned events?

Comments

  • Gaudir8Gaudir8

    @Chris

    USAT Rule Book

    i. Unauthorized Accessories. No participant shall, at any time during the event, use or wear a hard cast, headset, radio, personal audio device, or any other item deemed dangerous by the Head Referee. Any violation of this Section shall result in a variable time penalty.

    while it is defines specifically in the cycling and run conduct sections i think the same applies in the swim since it is part of the race course and the event as noted above and in section 3.4i Race Conduct

  • Chris OubreChris Oubre
    Thanks. I understand the safety concern on the bike and run. Didn't think it would as much of an issue on the swim. I imagine the mass swim melee would probably just rip them from my ears anyway
  • Brad MarcusBrad Marcus
    @Chris- not sure if you've used them before, but I find that unless I am swimming at a leisurely pace, They end up popping out of my ears. Since I've joined EN - there are no more leisure swims and I find it irritating to deal with during swim intervals. Not that you'd be pushing that hard during the swim at an IM, but with the craziness that goes on around you, I'd imagine that you might have probs keeping them in your ear. At that point, you may wish that you didn't have them! That is, if they are even allowed...
  • Chris OubreChris Oubre
    Tried them for the first time today. My ears still feel full of water. It felt like they held the water in my ear. On the flip side, it was very nice to have more than just the black line for company.
  • Mark CardinaleMark Cardinale

    Just got a pair of these.  DCRainmaker gave them a good review and i had an Amazon gift card from Christmas.  With bone conductivity no worries about them falling out of your ears.  Sound is OK, not great, but hey, you are under water.

    Finis Neptune

  • Joseph LombardiJoseph Lombardi

    I've been told (& used) that Swimming Metronomes are perfectly legal....I see people with music/headsets on the run all the time...I don't think you would have any issue....

  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    Posted By Chris Oubre on 21 Jan 2014 02:19 PM
    Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

    I'm trying to find out if swim MP3 players are legal or not in Ironman events? What about USAT sanctioned events?
    No one mentioned WTC rules yet. From a recent Ironman athlete guide (Nov 13): "HEADSETS OR HEADPHONES ARE NOT ALLOWED DURING ANY PORTION OF THE EVENT." In bold and all caps, so they must really mean in. Use at your own risk of getting a penalty.
  • Gaudir8Gaudir8

    @Chris Do you really want to risk a penalty or DQ ? If it is that important email the race director and ask if they are ok. Personally I think it is just another needless pressure you bring on yourself in terms of getting caught.

    Hum to yourself!

    Also keep in mind there are different marshals at each race. I would say don't dare.

  • Chris OubreChris Oubre
    I def won't do it if it's not allowed. I just wanted to know if they were :-)
  • Gaudir8Gaudir8

    very good and smart!

  • John WithrowJohn Withrow
    I have/had the Finis bone conductive ones. It broke after about 3-4 months worth of use. I actually like the in-ear ones with a real iPod better now. Since I do 100% of my swim training in an endless pool, I do most of my workouts with music. Two yrs ago (before the WTC aded the bold letters to their rule book, so back then it wasn't "technically" outlawed) I emailed the RD of an Ironman describing the Finis unit and that it was not in my ears, but simply on the back of my head under my swim cap. They would not limit my ability to hear any of the officials or lifeguards and it would not distract any of my competitors in any way. They responded in no uncertain terms that if I were caught with the music device during the swim that I would be DQ'd from the race.

    So now I just count my strokes in my head...

    On a related note, I asked the RD if a metronome was allowed on the run and he said it was as long as it wasn't "in" my ears and it wasn't distracting to the other competitors.
  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    @John: What's your take on a swim metronome based on that response? It hadn't occurred to me to use one on a race until this thread, but I can see that it might be useful for not letting yourself get TOO casual. I don't think I'd use one, but I could imagine people wanting to.
  • John WithrowJohn Withrow
    I know people who have successfully used swim wetronomes during Ironman races. If you use one in training, then probably not a bad idea.

    I used a metronome during my Ironman run. I haven't trained with one on the swim, but that might be something I'll try this coming yr when I actually start swimming again.
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