You won't be pulled off the course if you have headphones on, but consider these things....for your own safety, fun, for the considerations of OTHERS (what a concept!)....
1. Course announcements along the way...where the course narrows; for the full, where the relay will split off...as Coach Charles explained, it will probably be 'marathoners to the right, relays to the left."
2. NEEDING to hear other runners. If someone needs to pass you, esp in tight areas on the course....if someone is about to take a walk break, and as they are moving to the side of the course, announces 'walking!' to warn the people around them....you MUST be able to pay attention to things like this.
3. Just MAYBE think that people on the course want to cheer you on, whether they are spectators on the side, or other runners. Or maybe another runner loves your race shirt and wants to compliment you, or your stride is looking good....you can't hear them. I have gotten so frustrated, both as a spectator and a runner, trying to give other people some positive vibes and they don't hear because they are tuned in to their ipod, and tuned out to everyone else. Guess what? I don't cheer for people with headphones on anymore. It's a waste of my breath, even though I would like to do it...I love to talk to other runners along the way.
4. If you are running with a friend, it's rude. One friend of mine was going to run a local 5 mile race with me...she plugged in before the start, and we couldn't even talk before the gun went off because she was all in her music. Needless to say, we lost each other in the start, and only found each other after the race.
5. Disney races are chock full of entertainment...whether the parks, the music, the characters, the DJ's, the bands and cheer groups. Not to mention the thousands of people running/walking with you. They are out there FOR YOU!!! Let them entertain you.
6. If you are ever going to do a triathlon, you have to wean yourself off the headphones as they are not allowed. You will get a time penalty and perhaps have them taken from you.
So...for many reasons....and for safety in training as listed by a PP....it's not a bad idea to wean yourself off of the headphones. Learn some mental toughness. It won't kill you, I promise! It can be a good learning experience to be alone in your thoughts and focus on what you're doing instead of not fully experiencing it.
Disclaimer: yes, I use an ipod... on the treadmill, and then only some of my runs. Almost never outside. And I race anything from 5K up to full Ironman and haven't died because I didn't have entertainment.
