It’s hard to believe, but for the past year any runner who ran a race with an iPod, MP3 player or headphones was an outlaw and technically could have been disqualified from that race. Fortunately, few races chose to enforce this idiotic ban and just this week, USATF essentially rescinded the ban.

The one prominent race that did enforce the ban--the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth—confiscated iPods at the start. If you escaped detection but ran with one, you were DQ'ed at the finish. No race in Austin chose this heavy-handed approach, but several races here advised runners not to listen to music while running.

Idiotic? Sure it was. The rule that USA Track and Field adopted was nonsense because it was virtually unenforceable. Even worse, the rule made something illegal which hordes and hordes of runners—especially newbies and young runners—can’t seem to run a step without.

It doesn’t really matter whether you think running with music is a good or bad thing, the reality is it’s here to stay. Most of the new generation of runners I see simply can’t imagine running without music. Heck, even the most successful race series in the country—the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathons—embrace music as an essential part of the racing experience.

Music on the course is OK, but by banning personal music devices in races, USATF was alienating the very people that it should be bending over backward to attract.

Certainly, USATF’s intent was to make races safer. By banning personal musical devices, runners could then hear race instructions which is laudable. But mid-race instructions usually boil down to either "Go this way" with some volunteer waving frantically to go in a certain direction or "Stay to the right." Not a big deal.

Even so, most runners I know who run and race with music, are cognizant enough to have the volume low enough that they can hear what’s going on. Obviously, there are examples of runners who couldn’t hear because of their music a policeman or race official, but those are rare.

Regardless, if you’re wondering whether it’s OK or not to bring your iPod to Austin races, rock on.

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• USATF’s latest ruling on the use of headphones and other electronic devices in races, puts the onus on race directors whether to allow them or not. Which basically means few races will stop anyone from using their iPod. But in national championship races, USATF will enforce the ban for runners who are competing for prize money or age-group awards. If you are just part of the pack running in the race, you can wear whatever music device you want.

• Zachary Ornelas, the Vista Ridge senior from Cedar Park, has confirmed that he will attend the University of Michigan on a track scholarship. Ornelas, who was second in the 5A cross-country championships, said part of his decision to go to Michigan was based on the weather. Ornelas moved to Cedar Park two years ago from upstate New York and has had difficulty training through the brutal Texas summers. "I like running in cold weather so I think Michigan will suit me fine," Ornelas told me the other night at Gilbert’s Gazelles Christmas party. "I also really like the idea of running for an old school coach like Ron Warhurst." Ornelas plans to major in some type of exercise science with the intention of going on to podiatric school. 

 
• Amanda Russell, the other half of Vista Ridge’s dynamic duo with Ashley Isham, is only a junior (fourth in the state in cross-country) but will certainly have her pick of colleges next year. Russell and Isham qualified for both the Nike and Foot Locker Nationals this year. "They were both great experiences," said Russell, also a gifted triathlete. "Going to San Diego for Foot Locker was really special. They treated us like rock stars. It was also so amazing meeting all the runners from around the country. I really want to go back next year."

• How competitive is college recruiting becoming for high-school runners? Fierce. Especially for girls. A friend of mine has a daughter who is just a freshman and yet she is already receiving tons of letters every day from college track coaches, seeking early commitments next year. And this girl didn’t even place in the top 10 in the state cross-country meet.

• One of the cool aspects of the San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon was the Texas Showdown in which the race put up $11,500 in prize money just for Texans. But you had to register in advance to be part of it. Unfortunately, Liz Shelton of Buda wasn’t aware of the Texas Showdown. Too bad because she finished second in the half marathon and would have received $750 had she signed up for it. Fortunately for Shelton, the matter was brought to the attention of race officials and San Antonio will award Shelton the prize money anyway.

• Also cashing in as part of the Texas Showdown in San Antonio were Jay Hilscher of Round Rock and Lisa Pohlit of Austin. Hilscher cruised the marathon course in 2:38:24 which was good for third fastest Texan—and $500. Pohlit was the fastest Texas woman in 2:59:03 and pocketed $2000. Actually, Lisa was second fastest Texan to Liza Hunter Galvan of San Antonio who finished second in a remarkable PR of 2:29:57. But Hunter Galvan was scored as an elite runner.

• If you watched any of the terrific UT-Wisconsin game from Madison on TV the other night, you might have caught a glimpse or two of local runners James Allen and Danny Spoonts who were seated in the primo front row right behind the Longhorns' bench. Allen had the highest bid last spring on a trip to Wisconsin with the Longhorns on the team plane. The proceeds from Allen's winning bid went to the RunTex Foundation. Allen invited his running partner Spoonts, a season ticket holder, to go along. As part of the trip, Spoonts and Allen were invited into the lockerroom and were treated to a Rick Barnes pre-game pep talk. BTW: UT won.

• Leonel Manzano, the former UT miler who made his first Olympic team last summer, is using his free time wisely. Manzano, who graduated in May, is now training five and six hours a day and for the first time, spending plenty of time in the weight room. "I never had time before," says Manzano, "but now I am lifting practically every day. My training is a lot more intense now that I’m out of school." Manzano will attempt to make his third straight national team in June at the US championships in Eugene which will be the trials for the World Championships in Berlin.

• Bill Schroeder’s RunTex training group up in Round Rock is going strong with their weekly Wednesday runs at Brushy Creek Lake Park. The group has tripled in size since last winter, due, in part to Schroeder’s "no excuse workouts." Says Bill, "In running, there just aren’t any excuses. I don’t want to hear them. It means we run Wednesday night whether it’s the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve." Bill has made one concession to the holidays: For the next two weeks, the runs start at five p.m., rather than six.

 
Have any juicy news for me? (It doesn’t even have to be entirely true.) If you have something, send it wish@runtex.com.