For millions of runners the iPod player is a vital piece of equipment. A well chosen soundtrack can help the lonely jogger to stay the distance. But marathon runners in America have been banned from listening to iPods or other music players during races.

With more than 38,000 people travelling to New York to take part in the city’s marathon on Sunday, thousands are expected to rebel against the new ruling from USA Track & Field, the sport’s governing body.

“I’m going to wear mine. I have got to. It’s very important to me because I get really bored,” said Annie Purcell, a doctor, who likes to listen to Snoop Dogg, as she picked up her race number yesterday in New York. “It would be really bad if they were to enforce the ban.”

Her friend, Jennifer Yanow, also planned to disregard the rule. “I have never run without headphones,” she said. “It just helps me.”

Technology is providing joggers with greater access to music. Smaller and smaller music players are increasingly easy to use and websites such as jogtunes.com allow runners to craft a playlist of songs suited to a particular pace.

Technology is becoming so sophisticated that Nike and Apple now manufacture a device that enables runners to link their shoes to their iPod Nano to give updates on pace, mileage and calories consumed.

Jill Geer, a spokeswoman for USA Track & Field, said that the increasing popularity of headphones was making races more dangerous.

“Runners need to be aware of their surroundings. There can be runners coming up behind them, or announcements from race officials,” she said. “As you get more and more runners wearing headphones in a race, it becomes more of an safety issue.”

She said that the track association, which oversees 4,000 events a year, would have to pay higher insurance premiums if it did not enforce the headphones ban. The ruling came into force in the United States 10 months ago after previously serving as a recommended guideline.

In June, officials confiscated iPods before the start of Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, in which 7,000 people took part. The devices were later posted back to participants.

Jean Knaack, the executive director of the Road Runners Club of America, said: “The number one complaint race directors have about participants is when they get to the finish line and they have their headhones and they are tired. It’s always the guy in the headphones. They are bewildered and not paying attention and create a big jam,” she said.

Tish Hamilton, the executive editor of the New York-based Runner’s World magazine, said that she wears headphones on her daily run to listen to the news, although she takes them off for racing. She said that it was hard to enforce the ban during large marathon events, such as the New Yorkmar-athon. She said that “some people find the music incredibly motivating”.

New York City Marathon officials do not plan to enforce the rule because of the number of entrants.

But many participants yesterday voiced strong support for a head-phone-free race. Martha O’Brasky, a medical worker, said: “It’s a marathon. People are cheering for you. You cannot hear the fans.”

Top running themes

Eye of the Tiger Survivor

Don’t Stop Me Now Queen

Since U Been Gone Kelly Clarkson

Ain’t Got No (I Got Life) Nina Simone

Keep on Running Spencer Davis Group

Chariots of Fire Vangelis

Hey Ya! Outkast

Ray of Light Madonna

Don’t Cha Pussy Cat Dolls

Wake Up Boo! The Boo Radleys

Source: Cancer Research UK poll

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