Music is one part of humanity that speaks to our very own hearts – depending on the type of music listened to, it can either drive us to the very depths of despair or raise us up to ecstatic heights. When it comes to running a marathon, many people have already taken up the iPod and other MP3 players to keep them company during the 26.2 mile journey, but soon that habit could come to a pass. It seems that official marathon organizers have already banned portable audio devices for runners in competitive races, with the first of such bans to be enforced in the New York City Marathon that will be held this Sunday.

It seems that the main point for banning such devices is to enable runners to hear official race announcements with their unblocked ears. I find this rather ridiculous as advancements in the near future could easily be made, where their respective audio devices will be overridden during a race by official announcements. Some feedback from competitors who use music to psyche them up and motivate them to perform beyond their imagined capability aren’t too pleasing though, and Richie Sais, 46, a police officer in Suffolk County on Long Island, before running the Marine Corps Marathon mentioned that “they can ban iPods all they want, but how do you think they are going to enforce that when those things have gotten so small?”.

What do you think about this ban? Is that the real reason why competitors aren’t allowed to be inspired by their favorite tunes anymore each time their pound the pavement? If that’s the case, where do you draw the line in the future? One could easily ban all sorts of running shoes, instead relying on just one brand and type so that a “level” of fairness is ensured.

Source: Smart Mobs