CELL PHONES GO AWAY!

Stop the madness this year...People running with cell phones has really started to take its toll on me. I see runners talking (cell yelling) increase over the years and I'm tired of it. Reason? I'm tired of the potential danger of it. I've have had cell phone talkers run into me from the side, behind and stop to text message right in front of me. Let me give you all hint...YOU'RE NOT THAT IMPORTANT!
There is no reason you need a cell phone, period. One would think the race alone would keep your interest? If you have an ounce of brains you'll realize that you can plan with your supporters to find you along the race.

Keep your cell phones at home!

Edited Sun Aug 19th 2007 3:49 pm by dzarunner

do people really run with a moblie phone? and texting - it must be so dangerous, surley you'd run into people in front as you don't have your eyes ahead?

Ridiculous!!! What do you even say?? "I'm sorry if I sound out of breath but I'm actually running a marathon. What? WHAT? I can't hear you...you're breaking up....HELLO? Hello? You there? I said I'm running a-hello???"

Annoying!!! There shouldn't even have to be a rule about something like this. It's an unspoken rule....save yourself from embarassment and what will soon be the wrath of others...HANG UP THE PHONE :)

Maybe people have them in the televised events so they can let their family know where to look out for them on the course. Generally anyone with a mobile phone in public is a nuisance, not just runners.

The same goes for ipods. There should be no place for them during an official event.

I can understand why people might have a mobile with them for the end of the race to find your family and friends, but to be running with one in your hand at the time is a bit mad, unless you are thinking of giving up and needing to be talked into carrying on by someone. Then again the crowd will do that for you.

Saw something funny once. Guy running with his mobile dropped it and it fell into pieces. Runners following up behind trampled and kicked said pieces of phone everywhere. Bet that ruined his race. Didn't hang round long enough to see if he bothered trying to find all the pieces.

There's always a possiblity of making a call while running and not knowing it too. could be one hell of phone bill for the race, especially if it take you hours to finish.

Your opinion on mobile phones - i totally agree. most people drop them anyway.

The opinion on mp3 players - ridiculous. there's nothing wrong with listening to music privately as you run. don't be such a sourface!

Funny - I won the Moscow Marathon in May and guess what one of my prizes was....a new mobey with all the bells and whistles. No, I do not run with it. When I run, I want NOT to be bothered by ppl calling;) I do know ppl that take them on training runs esp in the woods for emergency resasons though (ie a fall or they get lost).

I just think MP3 players are fine for your training, but on raceday running with one means you miss out on so much of what's around you. If I'd always run with one it would mean I wouldn't have spoken and met the many people I have.

There's enough stuff to worry about on race days without worrying about losing your phone. Leave it at home - leaves more room for you to fit in all those jelly babies into your pockets/pack etc.

totally agree. Won't be long before they ban phones and ipods from the majors.

The only problem not having your cell phone handy is trying to hook up with friends and family later. Yopu won't find a public phone available for sure.

So just have a designated meeting spot, what's so hard about that?

A new thing I've seen with ipods: two friends walking down the road together, both listening to their ipods, with one headphone in their outer ear, their inner ears left free. To conversate I guess......but about what??? Seems so silly! I suppose they can talk about what song their ipods have just shuffled to, ha.

I'm sure you'll soon see two runners going along with one of those special adaptors so they can plug in two sets of headphones to the the same ipod. that has to be asking for trouble.

Phones can be invaluable when you're training alone. I managed to twist my ankle badly once and was in the middle of nowhere and very thankfully I had a phone, but yes, runner in races with phones can be a real pain in the ass.

crazy! why cant people just concentrate on one thing at once, runners calling and texting during races are such an easy way to cause accidents. Yes thye are good when out training in case anything happens, but can be a distraction out on the course

Edited Wed 10th Oct 2007 6:13 pm by Andy Hatter

apparently none of you were running Chicago last Sunday. With so many people being treated for heat related injuries, I wanted to make sure my friends were ok. One person in our group took 6 hours (normally a 4 hour marathoner) to finish. We had no idea if he was hurt and he had no way of letting us know that he was ok. I think carrying them is ok, using them only in case of emergency. We all signed up for road ID bracelets when we got home. It was pretty scary for 2 hours hearing all the sirens wondering if we should wait or ??