Bob's Rant #2 - Don't Try to Control Me!

In the May 2005 issue of Runner's World, Vera "Somebody" authored a letter in response to an article in the previous issue about good musical stuff to run to. She began with "As a RRCA-certified" (man, can hear it coming already....). Of course, she proceeded to provide an unwanted tirade on the dangers of running with headphones. Does she and similar minded people really think they have a "snowball's chance in hell" of winning over those of us that simply disagree with her. NO. I don't care who she is certified by. If I was asking her for running advice, I would apply it after screening it through my own evaluation.

Does she really think it is as simple as "headphones are dangerous if you run on the road"? She states 2 primary reasons: need to listen to surroundings and breathing, and need to protect our ears from hearing loss. To add insult to injury, she is offering her admonition because of the likelihood that blessing use of headphones sends the wrong message to beginning runners. Those damn impressionable new runners are so easily perverted. Give me a break!

Such an unbalanced, I am holier than thou attitude would never earn much credibility in my book. Hearing loss is not caused by headphones. It is caused by volume and duration. Mp3 players have controls to allow us to control volume and duration. As to the notion that running on streets is dangerous if you can't hear everything in your surrounding, is Vera suggesting that if you have hearing impairment you are restricted to the treadmill? I wonder if she drives in a convertible with no radio, CD, Tape player, cell phone.... etc. I mean, come on, you want to make sure you know what's going on around you! Riding in a car while distracted, now that's dangerous.

Vera, put some balance in your life. Not every run is for training and requires attending to breathing. Some, yes. I bet you offer good advice for serious running. But, if I choose to just run for fun while jamming on streets I estimate to have low risk of dumbass drivers, that is none of your freaking business! Don't shame me just because I don't agree with you. (Her letter included "Shame on you").