The September issue of Runner’s World includes informative Summer Olympic advances, keen photography and the monthly’s usual assortment of training tips, diet features and shoe reviews editors repeatedly rotate through the magazine.

Oakley's THUMP Pro

But the magazine also includes a preposterous full page Oakley advertisement. The sunglass and apparel manufacturer now offers a contraption called the THUMP Pro.

It’s a combination pair of sunglasses equipped with an MP3 player and eyewear audio device. The gadget, which retails for $299, is modeled via a side profile of ultramarathon poster boy Dean Karnazes, long-distance running’s master self-promoter.

Part of the ad’s copy reads: “Listen to music virtually anywhere with speaker booms that adjust easily and swing out of the way when you need to hear the environment.”

Is there a good time not to hear the environment when running?

The gadget retails for $299.

Runner’s World has long been a promoter of runners exercising safely. And one great way to increase the possibility of running safely is to not wear headphones.

As the respective manufacturer and publishers of the country’s largest running publication what are Oakley and Runner’s World thinking?