Grandma's runners can use headphones again

But organizers urge headsets be left at home: Your race experience will be greatly enhanced by having complete use of all of your senses.

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: January 29, 2009 - 11:59 PM

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If you were born to run or find yourself running on empty, race organizers in Duluth now say you can bring along your own tunes for this June's Grandma's Marathon.

For two years, Grandma's and other road races around the country banned headphone use by runners, complying with the rules of USA Track and Field (USATF), the nation's sanctioning body.

Last month, USATF lifted the ban, clearing the way for Grandma's on June 20 and other races to decide on their own whether to allow headphones.

While voting Tuesday to go along with USATF's reversal, Grandma's board of directors issued a statement saying it "strongly encourages" marathoners to leave their headphones at home so they can "enjoy all that our race courses have to offer and for the safety of all participants."

"The atmosphere along the Grandma's Marathon courses is second to none," the statement continued.

"We believe your race experience will be greatly enhanced by having complete use of all of your senses. Running headphone-free allows opportunities to develop camaraderie with your fellow runners and to enjoy the various entertainment acts lining the course. Plus, thousands of enthusiastic volunteers and spectators will be cheering you on, helping to get you to the finish line."

The lifting of the ban also applies to the Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon, which is run the same day.

As for the Twin Cities Marathon in October, that race has enforced a strict no-headphone rule the past two years after having a casual headset ban in place since 2002.

Its Games Committee will meet next week and decide whether to maintain its headphone ban, then make an announcement in February, said race director Brian Mastel.

Mastel, who serves on the committee, would not say how he feels about lifting the ban but acknowledged that the recent USATF and Grandma's reversals will "have an impact" on what Twin Cities Marathon executives might do. At the same time, Mastel added, "safety is our first priority."

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482