Was Futsum Zeinasellassie wearing headphones during the NXN Midwest race?

he's a robot

The real question, which is a technicality and I hate seeing runners DQ'd. But, would that qualify as a rule infraction?

If it's actually an earbud, absolutely an infraction. Though NXN gets to set their own rules, and they'd never DQ the winner for that. Bad publicity, you see.

looks like an ear bud to me. maybe futsum reads the message boards and can clear this up.

It looks more like a necklace here:

http://indianarunner.com/Pictures.aspx

This photo is pretty interesting. How was there no DQ?

When will all the jackweeds finally realize there is NOTHING wrong with running with music?

Ohio had a BLIND runner run xc with her guidedog this year. They honored her courage at the state meet.

I applaud Futsum for rocking some tunes while demolishing the 5k course.

Old Gregg wrote:

http://indianarunner.com/images/smithvssubletteCI.jpg

This photo is pretty interesting. How was there no DQ?

Exactly, Old Gregg, I have been trying to get that guy with the beard's birth certificate for years, but to no avail. He should have been DQ'd years ago, he's overage! My South boy just running along, and the bearded one grabs his arm like a soccer player trying to draw a PK in the box! Dirty pool!

Could it be a heart rate monitor? Looking at the photos, I'm not completely convinced there is anything in his ears. Definitely not beyond sustainable doubt.

Clearly a necklace

1) Definitely not a necklace

2) Earwarmers w/ built in earphones connected to a ipod shuffle taped to his chest.

3) DQ

This isn't the 1800s

Technology now allows us to ENJOY ourselves even more when we are running. Thats why there have been radios in autos since the 1920s. Nobody is giving car radio listeners tickets and driving is far more dangerous than running on a xc course.

Clearly wrote:

Clearly a necklace

Yeah.

That is not a headphone!! It's a necklace you get when you are born in to an orthodox church!!

I don't see any ear buds.

But if it is a Nike product, what's the problem?

Much better question is where is he going to school? Visited anywhere? Down to final 5?

get with the times idiots wrote:

This isn't the 1800s

Technology now allows us to ENJOY ourselves even more when we are running. Thats why there have been radios in autos since the 1920s. Nobody is giving car radio listeners tickets and driving is far more dangerous than running on a xc course.

I say necklace, only because Futsum isn't a p*$$y...he runs that fast because he's tough.

To the above post and the other who thinks there is "NOTHING" wrong with running with music: I don't normally get irritated with stupid comments here because I assume you're trying to bait me, but I will go ahead and be the first to say that if you've never thrown on an iPod and rocked a particular route 2 minutes faster than usual with minimal effort, you aren't a very good and/or smart runner. If I could wear an iPod during any given road 5k, I'm fairly certain I'd have a 20 second faster PR. Yea, I'm a p*$$y, not as tough as Futsum...but the fact remains.

I always found I ran slower with headphones unless it was a marathon. If it was a 5-10k, I tended to zone out and not keep myself on pace if I was listening to music. In contrast, that's exactly what I needed in marathons.

Oh my god, headphones!?!?! Front page news! Let's all chat about it for a week. What a bunch of clowns on this site.